Outrealmed
by Technetium2
Summary: This morning felt different. Not surprising, considering I woke up far from my bed. Very far. Self-Insert. Me/F!Robin. Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**I have sandy blond hair, blue eyes and somewhat skinny build. Avatar is build 1, face 4, hair 3 and colour 18. Basically, average height, soft face and purple hair in a ponytail. Oh, and DISCLAIMER: I do not claim to own any properties within this story, aside from myself. They belong to Nintendo and any other copyright holders.**

My bed felt a lot less comfortable than usual. Not just less comfortable; it felt as if I was lying on the road outside. Thinking about it, my blanket wasn't there either… and I was wearing my clothes. That was worth waking up for. My eyes opened to the fuzzy shape of a blonde woman, whose hair was styled into dual ponytails. She seemed to be in quite the panic, and was holding what looked like a staff. I let out a small groan to announce both my state of consciousness and confusion.

"Chrom, he's awake!" I attempted to get up from… wherever I was. "No you don't!" A hand forced me back down. "Falling from the sky requires quite a bit of rest."

"Falling from the sky?"

"Good thing you landed on that guy, otherwise you might have died!" Evidently, she hadn't heard me.

"I landed on a guy?! Is he okay?"

"Well, he was a bad guy, so does it matter?"

" _Was?!_ " This had to be a dream.

"Yeah, Frederick finished him off. Funnily enough, your fall just kind of winded the guy." There was no other explanation. I had just woken up to see a girl hovering above me in very medieval garb who told me that I just fell from the sky; I was dressed in my red sweater, black shirt, gray pants and red and black baseball cap that I definitely did _not_ go to bed in, and apparently someone was dead. I pinched myself.

"Ouch!"

"Hey! What did you do that for?!"

"Um… seeing if I was awake."

"Unfortunately, this isn't some sort of dream." The deep voice of a man made me sit up from where I was without the woman stopping me. It came from a man with a missing sleeve and blue hair, with what I assumed was a knight following. "I am wondering why you would think that, though."

"Why would I think that? Well, I'm not in my bed, there's a man with blue hair and a sword that probably shouldn't work, I apparently fell from the sky, there's a knight in blue armour, and there's a girl waving a staff at me." The man laughed.

"What's your name?"

"Zack."

"Well, Zack, at least your memory seems intact."

"Well… yeah, why wouldn't it be?"

"We found an amnesiac earlier today. She helped us quite a bit. Maybe you could do the same."

"Again, milord?" The knight, who had only been studying me rather suspiciously, finally spoke up. "We have already taken in a stranger today. Are you certain it is wise to take another?"

"Yes. The last one worked out pretty well, didn't they?"

"I see there is no arguing with you on this, is there?"

"No, Frederick, there isn't. So, did you want to join us?"

"I guess so." _I don't really have a choice._ "First, mind telling me where we are? And who you are?"

"We're in Ylisse. I'm Chrom, the suspicious one is Frederick, and-"

"I'm Lissa!" _She seems quite excitable._

"Robin, our amnesiac, should be along shortly." Footsteps approached from behind me. "Speak of the devil…" I turned and saw her. She was busy adjusting her ponytail, seemingly not noticing my state of awareness yet. She had a black and purple cloak, simple brown clothes, looked to be of average height and had, of course, purple hair. _What is with these people and their hair colours?_ She looked up from her task and finally noticed me sitting on the ground.

"How's the patient?" She gave a warm smile.

"Um… I'm fine, thanks. You're Robin, then?"

"That I am. And you are…?"

"Oh, right. My name's Zack."

"If introductions are concluded, we should begin walking. It's still a long way to go to the capitol."

"Right as usual, Frederick. Come on, then. The capitol won't get any closer with us standing here." Chrom, Lissa and Frederick walked off, while I was still sitting on the ground, dazed. This dream was very realistic, unlike most of mine. I could swear that I actually felt the wind on my face and the cold stone beneath me. A hand entered my vision and stopped my thoughts. I smiled up at Robin and took it, getting to my feet.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Let's get going." I nodded and followed. This was still insane. I was hoping that it was still a dream, and that when I woke up next, I would be back home. That was the only thought keeping me somewhat composed. Maybe things would get better from here on out.

I was wrong. After a long, arduous walk, we had a meal that consisted of bear meat. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't good. I managed to learn that this group of people I found myself with were called the Shepherds… and that's all I learned. They didn't tell us (Robin also wanted to know things) anything more than that. They said it would be best if we "saw it for ourselves", which I wasn't thrilled by. Then it got to a point that I didn't really want it to come to.

"So, Zack," Chrom turned to me, "where are you from, if not Ylisse?"

"Um…" _If I've gone back in time, I don't want to change history more than necessary. Even if I haven't, which I'm betting on, I still don't want to change this world all too much. What do I say?_ "Far away." _Well done, genius; that_ definitely _isn't too vague!_

"'Far away' where?" _See?_

"Chrom, if he doesn't want to say, I don't think he has to." Robin spoke up for me.

"I guess you're right. No need to pry, I suppose. Though, I would like to know where those strange clothes came from." _Another question I don't want to answer._

"Uh…" _May as well try my luck._ "Gift from the Gods?" It seemed to intrigue, but satisfy.

"I suggest we all get some rest now. Ylisstol is still a long walk from here."

"Yes, mother." Frederick gave Lissa quite the stare, and in response, she blew him a raspberry. _Almost like my friends back home. Or back in the conscious world; whichever happens to be true._ Everyone got as comfortable as they could in their bedrolls; the Shepherds had managed to provide extras for me and Robin. It wasn't as comfortable as I would have liked, but it was certainly better than just lying on the dirt. Before laying down, I had a last-minute idea.

"Hey, Robin?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for sticking up for me." I knew I had at least one real friend in this place. I lay down and closed my eyes, managing to hope that this was both an exciting new reality and a dream at the same time. Only half of that would be true.

 **A/N: Welcome to the story! I warn anyone who actually bothered to read this that it will be filled with references and thinking. Since that's what I'm somewhat like in real life, that's what this vanity project will be. I hate to call it that, but that's really what it is. It's also an experiment in writing relationships, so this story will have a lot less action than my most popular one. Be sure to review or PM me about any pairings (aside from me and Robin) that you want me to do. Also in the reviews, tell me how far I should go with this. I definitely want to go to the end of the Plegian war, but I'm not sure I should go any farther. Feedback is necessary. Until the next chapter!**


	2. Chapter 2

A noise woke me. The voices of Chrom and Lissa were whispered, but there. A dream within a dream wasn't all too uncommon for me, so my hopes were still quite high; but the fact that I hadn't woken up scared me. I opened my eyes and saw the siblings getting up. It was still nighttime, so I was naturally curious.

"What are you guys doing?" I whispered.

"Going for a walk. Chrom thinks something's up," Lissa whispered back.

"Mind if I tag along? It's not exactly easy getting back to sleep."

"I don't mind. Chrom?"

"I don't see why not." I grabbed my hat, and we set off into the night. I felt a little bad leaving Robin and Frederick behind, but I knew that they could handle themselves. After all, they did kill and cook a bear.

The walk was silent, mostly in hopes of not waking our other companions. It was almost deafening. Eventually, we reached a spot that was far enough away from them that we could talk.

"So what's up, big bro?"

"I'm not sure what it is, but-" He was interrupted by an earthquake. "Gods, what was that?!" As if in answer, the ground ripped apart near our feet. Lava spilled forth from the cracked ground, sending burning rocks toward us. "Run!" Nobody needed to be told twice. We all took off, Chrom in front. We ran through the burning forest, chunks of molten rock landing all around us, destroying the once-beautiful landscape. Eventually, we ended up in a clearing with a chance to catch our breath. Needless to say, I was absolutely terrified. Dropped into a world that wasn't my own, and now chased down by the Earth itself. Then it got worse.

"Chrom, what is that?!" Both our gazes followed Lissa's finger to a point in the sky. There was a bright flash of light against the starless night, which morphed itself into a crystalline eye. Through the blue center of it came two monsters. They were humanoid, with black skin, glowing red eyes and a mask that was something out of a nightmare. Every stale breath they took was accentuated by a cloud of purple smoke as they stood there, just staring.

"Lissa, Zack; stay behind me." Chrom's sword was drawn, and pointed at the two monsters. With a sound akin to a ghost being tortured, one of them rushed forward. Chrom sped towards it in an attempt to stop it, but Lissa and I had already fallen back. The other creature had locked eyes on us, and began to slowly advance.

"Lissa, what do we do?!"

"You think I know?!" She raised her staff in front of her face as it advanced towards us. We both backed up until we ran into a rock.

"Can't you hit it with that staff?!"

"I don't think that's gonna work!" The creature's weapon, a rusted iron axe, raised up to Lissa's face level. "Help!" It raised the axe, ready to cleave Lissa in half. My mind was flitting between helping and running for my life, so all I could do was remain still. Thankfully, I wasn't needed. Someone dressed in blue managed to get between Lissa and the creature, stopping the attack with a sword.

"Help!" A slightly effeminate voice called out to Chrom. The man in question ran forward, sword outstretched. In what seemed like a practiced maneuver, the two swung their weapons through the monster, managing to slay it on the spot. It vanished into what can only be described as a purple mist, and evaporated into the night. The two blue-haired individuals sheathed their swords, and Chrom attempted to talk to the mysterious warrior. I paid that short conversation little attention, however, because I was busy being horrified.

"Lissa?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you guys run into those things a lot?"

"I've never seen one before."

"I would say that I'm glad, but I have a horrible feeling that there's more."

"Me too." At that moment, Robin and Frederick came running up, concern on their faces.

"Milord; Milady! Are you unharmed?"

"Yeah! Some monsters attacked us, but then this… guy… hey, where'd he go?" The mysterious warrior had run off without any of us noticing.

"I know not, Milady, but I believe that we have more pressing concerns." Frederick pointed to a clearing that was filled with those horrid creatures. They were surrounding several decrepit forts, and hadn't noticed us yet.

"We have to stop these creatures from reaching the town. Lissa, you come with me and Frederick; we're going to try and reclaim the nearest fort. Robin, Zack; you two make your way to the farthest one. We'll regroup in the center of the clearing once all the monsters are gone." Chrom drew his sword, Lissa readied her staff, Frederick picked up his lance, Robin drew her sword and I… had nothing.

"Something the matter, Zack?" Robin was giving me a somewhat quizzical look.

"Sort of. I don't have a weapon."

"You don't?"

"Nope. Even if I did, I wouldn't be able to do much with it."

"Well, just… stay behind me, then."

"I'm sorry."

"About what?"

"Not being able to help very much. I get the feeling that you guys do this quite a bit, and I'm just a burden."

"Don't be like that! We don't know each other very well, but I'm sure that you have other useful skills. Not everyone has to excel at fighting."

"I suppose… I can still fight, though. I have some level of training, though only at close quarters." I didn't want to say 'Martial arts' in case she had no idea what I meant.

"Good. See? I told you you weren't useless!"

"I guess I do have some use." As we neared the undead soldiers, Robin pulled a book out of her robes. "A book? How's that going to help?"

"Just watch." She gave me a smile, and turned to face the monsters. They had noticed us, and were charging forward. Without warning, the pages of Robin's book began to flip open, and a light began to frame her body. She outstretched her other hand, shouting "Thunder!" and sent a ball of electricity towards the group of monsters. It managed to hit one and glance off another, killing one and wounding the second. She looked back to me with the same smile, and I could only stare. _Was that…_ "Magic. Neat, huh?" I nodded. This confirmed it. Since I probably would have woken up by now if this was a dream, and magic never existed in my world, then I must have gone through dimensional travel. Unfortunately, there was no time to let it sink in as the creatures were directly on top of us. I slightly ducked behind Robin, and she swung at them with her sword. One was cleaved in half, the wounded one was only grazed yet again, and the last one went unscathed and charged at me. It raised its axe, and I immediately went into what I have called 'sparring mode'. My arm went up and grabbed its wrist while the other one went around the back of its arm and grabbed my own wrist. As fast as I could, I maneuvered my body around that of the undead one's and locked its arm into a position that usually makes people drop their weapon and stop. It did make the thing drop its weapon, but that was it. It quickly contorted its arm into a very unnatural position, which I should have expected, and attempted to punch me. I deflected both hits, and kicked its torso several times before doing a jump-kick to its head. To my surprise, the monster's face caved in, and it fell to the ground before dissolving. _I guess these monsters have weakened flesh. Makes sense; they are decaying._ I looked back to Robin, who had managed to finish off the other monsters that had come our way, and was staring at me.

"What?"

"That was incredible! I've never seen moves like that!"

"I wouldn't expect you to."

"Why not? Oh, right. Amnesiac. How did I forget that?"

"Um… amnesia?" Despite the situation, I managed to give her a cheeky grin. She rolled her eyes.

"Come on, funny man, let's go take that fort."

The proceeding fights were pretty much the same. Robin would take out most of them, while I would sit back and get rid of any that got past her. A few of them even went for me instead of her, but my martial arts training managed to keep them from doing too much. It was still an intense fight, and I didn't exactly come out unscathed. Several large bruises came from the ones that I managed to disarm, and one of them managed to get a good cut across my shin. That one probably would have killed me if an arrow hadn't flown through its head. Two more people had joined the fight; an archer and another knight similar to Frederick, except that she was female. And a lot more aggressive, if her fighting style was anything to go by. Eventually, with this new help, we managed to clear the area of monsters and returned to the center of the clearing to meet up with Chrom, Lissa and Frederick. On the way there, thanks to brief moments of eavesdropping between my frantic thoughts of how I may never get back, I managed to discern that the knight's name was Sully, and the archer was Virion. From those little snippets, I also managed to tell that Sully was very straightforward and, as I thought, aggressive; somewhat similar to a friend I had back home. Virion, however, seemed to be a womanizing nobleman, constantly hitting on both women. I would have intervened, but I was having my own troubles.

"We cleared our fort. Those things are very unsettling."

"No kidding! It's even worse when you can't do anything against them. It was like one of Ricken's scary stories!"

"Milady, I do not believe that a child's story is quite adequate to describe the nature of these beings."

"Freddy, have I ever told you that you're no fun?"

"Too often."

"So; Sully, what are you doing out here?"

"I heard that you were close to the capitol, and decided to come see you guys. Damn good thing I did!"

"I should say so! She and this gentleman, Virion, really helped us out. In fact, Zack may have been killed if not for them."

"Well, then, I thank you both."

"Speaking of Zack, you should see what he can do! He managed to take down quite a few of the monsters, and he doesn't have any weapons or armour. Lissa, if you wouldn't mind? We did manage to get a few scrapes."

"Right!" Lissa set to work with her staff, magically healing all the injuries and bruises we had sustained. When she got to my leg, she let out a small gasp. "This one is bad! I'm surprised you're even walking on it."

"I'm not. I was practically carried back." As Lissa began to treat my leg, everyone, excluding Sully and Virion, looked at me strangely.

"Is something wrong? Your tone seems a bit… downcast."

"Hm? Yeah, sorry. I'm not in the best place right now, Chrom."

"I wouldn't expect you to be, what with that leg injury."

"That's not what I mean. I think I've figured out how far from home I really am." Lissa looked up at me from the already half-healed wound.

"You didn't know before?"

"No… look, can I explain this when we get farther from the lava? I still need some time to process this."

"Of course. Lissa, how's his leg doing?"

"Much better now. Thankfully, it wasn't very deep. You should be able to walk on it now." I gave her a nod.

"Well then, let's get moving. I want to hear this explanation."

"We all do." Frederick gave me a wary glance, and our group set out. Unfortunately, after a couple of steps, my footing began to falter. Sully caught me and hauled me up onto her horse.

"Better ride with me, that wound's going to hurt for a little while. Trust me." I gave her a thankful smile as we set off, my mind filled with thoughts of 'how did this happen', 'why did this happen', 'how is this real', and 'will I ever get back'? Before we really got anywhere, though, a figure blocked our path. It was the person who had helped us out before.

"Thank you, for your help before." Chrom offered them a hand, but they remained still. "Okay… well, may I ask your name?"

"You may call me Marth." Hearing this longer sentence, I could tell that they were a girl. It was a terribly disguised voice, but I didn't feel like saying anything. After all, they were probably disguised for a reason.

"Marth? Like the hero-king of legend?"

"...This world is teetering on the edge of destruction." She didn't seem to hear what he had said. "Be prepared for what is to come." Then she turned and vanished into the shadows.

"That was weird. He was kinda dreamy, though." Evidently, Lissa didn't seem to notice that she was a girl.

"Well, strange or not, we still have a ways to go. Let's get moving." And we moved out again, uninterrupted this time.

Eventually, the horse stopped, snapping me out of my trance-like state. Far behind us, smoke rose in the air from the burning forest we had left behind.

"This seems like as good a place as any." Chrom turned to face the group; specifically me. "So, care to explain?"

"Um… right." I, rather clumsily, lowered myself off of Sully's horse and cleared my throat. "I'm assuming that you have never heard of alternate dimensions. Am I right?"

"Ugh. This is going to be a long, boring explanation, isn't it? We get enough of those from Miriel; why do _you_ have to do one?"

"Because this is very complicated. You don't have to listen if you don't want." Lissa scurried off, probably to see how far we still had to go. "For those of you interested, please hold your questions until the end. Ready? Okay. I am from an alternate version of this world, different in many ways but similar in many others. There are an infinite number of these alternate realities, each one with differences from the other. About ninety percent of these worlds are just filled with boring differences, like what someone decides to have for breakfast. The other ten percent have extreme differences, such as one having magic while another does not. Now, to explain how I travelled between them. All of these worlds are in the same place at the same time, vibrating at different frequencies. I suppose I'll have to explain that too. Okay, everything in the universe vibrates on a molecular level at the same base frequency, or rate. By having every single other version of a world vibrate at just a slightly different frequency, these worlds can be in the same place without interfering with the others. That's how it would work, if everything was perfect. Occasionally, parts of these worlds manage to go at the same rate, and this creates a tear; a doorway between the different versions. These are usually tiny and far off, only transferring air or dust between the worlds. The bigger ones usually happen in space, and are extremely unstable, so they don't last long; certainly not long enough to get a person through. In order for me to travel between these dimensions, a smaller, stable one must have opened up near me. While it was open, something must have disrupted the flow of space-time in both my reality and yours. This expanded the hole, and sucked me through to your dimension. When I discovered I wasn't dreaming, I seriously hoped that it was time travel, because, believe it or not, that is much easier to fix than dimensional travel." I sat back on my knees. The whole time I had been talking, I drew illustrations of what I was trying to convey in the dirt. It didn't seem to help very much. There was an uncomfortable silence as everyone tried to process what I had just told them. Thankfully, Robin spoke up.

"So… do you know of any way to get home?"

"No. This has all been a theory up until now; and still kinda is since I'm not exactly sure how I got here, but the existence of magic here gives me hope. That and the portal that opened up over the woods."

"So, my good sir, you are saying that you are lost in a world that is not your own?"

"Something like that, yeah." Another long silence. This one was much less unsettling because everyone was trying to think of something that could get me back home.

"I can see Ylisstol!" Lissa's energetic yellings came from atop a nearby hill. "Come on! Let's go before more of those things show up!"

"Milady has the right idea. We should continue to the capitol and warn the Exalt of the demons we faced."

"Again, Frederick, you are correct. Let's move!" The troupe began to head out. While I was getting up from my place in the dirt, Robin practically whispered something to me.

"Don't worry; we'll get you home."

 **A/N: Explaining dimensional travel to people who don't know anything about the subject was easier than I thought it would be. Oh, and if you're wondering, yes I do know martial arts in real life. I am a black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do, so I know how to fight. I also know how to play guitar, and will include that eventually. Those will both be emphasized, of course, but I'm not going to make myself a god at both. That's just not cool. Anyway, if you enjoyed, please review or PM me with any ideas, questions or comments you may have. Until the next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

Ylisstol was huge. Most cities back home were fairly big with plenty of high rises and busy streets, but this city somehow felt so much bigger. It was probably about the same size as an average city back home, but the castle overshadowing everything in the background made it feel as if it took up the entire continent.

"Good. It seems as if the destruction was limited to the forest."

"Yes, but we've still got to warn Emmeryn."

"Emmeryn? Who's that?"

"Lady Emmeryn is the Exalt of Ylisse; the monarch, if you will."

"There she is now." Chrom pointed towards a spot in the distance where a bunch of citizens were gathered. In the midst of them was a woman surrounded by guards. Even from where we were standing, I could sense the air of peace and kindness practically radiating off of her. "She's an excellent leader."

"Indeed. Lady Emmeryn is a symbol of peace for our people. She is strong-willed and determined to fix this world of its problems."

"And she's also the best big sister ever!" That caught my attention. It took Robin a second, however.

"Yes, I'm sure she…" We managed to say it simultaneously. "Sister?!"

"That... explains quite a bit, actually."

"So you two are…"

"Indeed. They are Prince Chrom and Princess Lissa of Ylisse."

"But you said you were Shepherds!"

"We are. We just have a lot of sheep."

"No kidding."

"So, did you two want to meet Emmeryn?"

"Really? You're inviting me, a commoner from a foreign land, and a magical amnesiac to the throne room to meet the ruler of the land?"

"Yes…"

"Okay, just checking. You're a very trusting man, Chrom."

"Do I have reason not to trust you?" He put a hand on his sword, drawing it slightly.

"No, no!" I raised my arms in defense. Chrom chuckled, and the entire group moved towards the towering castle in the distance. To my surprise, I heard Robin chuckling. Apparently, my antics that day were quite funny.

Emmeryn's throne room was grander than I could ever hope to have imagined. The ceiling went on forever, colourful banners adorned every single ornate pillar that held up that same roof, every wall had intricate carvings of the nation's history, huge windows stood at both ends of the room, the throne itself was an immaculate piece of marble chiseled into an enormous intricate chair, and standing just in front of that was Emmeryn herself. She had on an immaculate golden robe that complimented her blonde hair beautifully. She had a warm smile, and her blue eyes were the most kind things I had ever seen. The only thing that was slightly off-putting about her was the mark on her forehead. I didn't want to mention it in fear of offending somebody, but the thing still confused me. To top off the astounding image, when she spoke it felt as if I was being wrapped in a hug.

"Chrom, Lissa, Frederick; welcome back."

"Many thanks, Milady." The knight bowed to her.

"I trust you kept everyone safe?"

"As safe as possible, Milady. It is not easy keeping the Prince and Princess safe. They tend to get into as much trouble as possible."

"I apologize for any hardships that you may have faced, Frederick."

"No need, Lady Emmeryn. All in the line of duty."

"Thank you, Frederick. So, Chrom, how was your venture outside of Ylisstol?"

"Unfortunately, it wasn't as pleasant as we were hoping. We ran into bandits wearing Plegian robes that were ransacking Southtown. Not just that, but we found monsters roaming the woods, and they seemed very aggressive. Thankfully, we had these two to help us out." Chrom pointed towards Robin and I. "I've decided to make the two of them Shepherds for as long as time permits." _He never discussed that with me…_

"We are honoured to meet you, Lady Emmeryn." Robin curtsied, and I quickly followed with a bow. "My name is Robin."

"And I'm Zack. It really is a pleasure."

"Glad to meet you both. My you recruited them quick, Chrom. I assume that these two have your trust?"

"Indeed they do."

"Milady, if I may be so bold, Robin claims to have no memory, but we have no evidence of this."

"Your suspicions are noted, Frederick, but I believe in Chrom's judgement. He hasn't been wrong so far. Now, I suggest that we discuss the matter of these 'monsters' and the Plegians."

"Come on you two; I want to show you guys around!" Lissa moved towards a door that was almost hidden in the art on the wall. Robin and I followed. Once we were far enough down the hallway, I decided that it was time to ask.

"Lissa?"

"Hm?"

"Why didn't Chrom talk to me about joining you guys? I mean, I'm not against it, it's just that he joined me up without even talking to me about it."

"Well, he thought that the best way for us to help you would be for you to come with us. After all, we are the only ones who have _some_ idea of what's happening."

"Fair enough." We kept walking a little bit longer in silence before Lissa spoke up once again.

"You haven't said much, Robin. Something on your mind?"

"Not really. I just don't have anything to talk about."

"You sure? I'll bet that you have tons of questions for Zack!"

"If you do have any questions, just ask. I'll be glad to answer as best I can."

"Well, I do have one question."

"Shoot."

"Um… alright. How old are you?"

"Eighteen. Why?"

"I just want to make sure we aren't sending a child into battle."

"Makes sense. I know you're an amnesiac, but do you remember your age?"

"From what I can tell, I'm about the same age as you."

"You sure you're not an eighty-year-old woman?" That earned me a light punch in the arm.

"Yes. You shouldn't even be asking how old I am; haven't you heard that you never ask a lady her age?"

"That's odd; I only see a girl, not a lady."

"I will zap you." She was trying to hide a smile, and failing. I couldn't help but smile as well, and turned forward to see Lissa giving us a devilish grin. It was very unsettling.

"What are you smiling at, Lissa?"

"Oh, nothing. I've just found something to occupy my free time." For a reason unknown to me, a chill ran up my spine. "Here we are!" Lissa turned and pushed her way through a large door. On the other side was what I assumed to be a barracks; probably a more personal one considering the number of people in it. There was a man with an axe and no shirt, a grey-haired woman pacing back and forth, and a blonde woman wearing very pink clothes nervously sitting in a chair off to the side. "The Shepherds' garrison! Go on, make yourselves at home!" Without warning, the woman in the back stood up and ran towards Lissa, enveloping her in quite the hug.

"Lissa, my treasure! Are you alright? I've been on pins and needles!"

"Oh, hey, Maribelle!"

"'Oh, hey' yourself! I've sprouted 14 grey hairs fretting over you!"

"Aw, you worry too much. I can handle a battle or two! ...Although, I could do without the bugs and bear barbecue…"

"Hey, squirt! Where's Chrom?" The shirtless man spoke up, putting his axe down on a nearby bench. "I bet he had a rough time out there without ol' Teach and his trusty axe!"

"Oh, so you're 'Teach' now, Vaike, is that it? Hee hee! And here I just thought people were born lacking wits. It can be taught?" _I gotta remember that one._

"Ha! Never doubt the Vaike! ...Wait, was that an insult?"

"Beg pardon," the seemingly nervous girl spoke up, "but when might we see the captain?"

"Poor Sumia. She's simply been beside herself with concern… Her eyes were scanning the horizon all day during training. ...She might have earned fewer bruises fighting blindfolded."

"Aw, Sumia, that's so sweet of you to worry about Chrom."

"Worry? Well, I… He's our captain and our prince- of course I'd worry!"

"So, who're the strangers?"

"No one's stranger than you, Vaike… but allow me to introduce Robin," Lissa pointed to the purple-haired woman, "and Zack! They've just joined the Shepherds. Robin is going to be the new tactician; you should see all the tricks she's got up her sleeve!"

"Oh yeah? Can she do this?" Vaike gave a tremendous burp. Both Robin and I giggled. Burps of good caliber always go so unappreciated.

"I'm sure I have much to learn in the belching arts, 'Teach'. In any case, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintances."

"I'd make up a remark as well, but nothing's going to top hers. And, like she said, it's a pleasure."

"Ugh, Vaike! That was abhorrent! Must you baseborn oafs pollute even the air with your buffoonery?" _Oh, no. A stuck-up rich person. Well, she can't be all bad. If she was, I doubt these people would even hang out with her._ "And you two, don't encourage him. I had hoped that you would be cut from finer cloth. Hmph!"

"Pardon me; Maribelle, was it? I realize that to you, our first impressions weren't all that great, but we aren't filthy animals. I'm positive that both of us can be quite noble when required, but prefer to speak and act more colloquially in order to fit in with others. I hope that, if nothing else, you can at least respect us for what we do." Thankfully, Robin decided to agree and nod vigorously. It may not have helped our nobility case, though.

"I suppose there is hope for you yet." The woman stormed off in somewhat of a huff, leaving the others to stare at me.

"What?"

"Zack, that was amazing! Maribelle usually either warms to people too slowly or burns too quickly, but she just gave you a compliment!"

"That was a compliment?"

"It seems you have a way with words, little man!" Vaike gave me a hefty pat on the back that almost sent me sprawling to the ground. "Need some work on those muscles, though." At that moment, Chrom walked into the room. Almost as if a switch had been turned on inside her head, Sumia brightened immensely and began to move towards him.

"Ah, captain! You've returned! I was- I mean, we were so-" before she could finish, she tripped on a piece of paper that was lying on the ground. "Aaah!" She collided with the ground, creating a huge thud. Based on everyone's reaction, this had happened before. She immediately stood up and dusted herself off, blushing immensely.

"Sumia! Are you alright? ...Those boots of yours again?"

"No! I mean yes! I mean…" She let out a sigh.

"Alright, listen, everyone: in the morning, we'll be marching to Regna Ferox." Robin and I had the same question.

"Regna Ferox?"

"A unified kingdom to Ylisse's north, inhabited by barbarians; or so it's said." Sumia seemed totally unaffected by the fall she had just taken.

"Warriors are what they are, and we'll need their strength to quell this new menace. Typically, the exalt would request such aid in person, but given recent events… well, the people may worry should my sister suddenly leave the capital. So the task has been passed to us." Chrom cleared his throat before continuing. "Now, this mission is strictly voluntary. So, if for any-"

"I volunteer!" Lissa shouted before he could even finish.

"Me too! You'll be needin' ol' Teach along for such a delicate mission!" Vaike's statement was followed by what I could swear was someone else's voice, but I couldn't tell.

"I… I, um…"

"Yes, Sumia?"

"It's just that… I'm not sure I'm ready for a proper mission just yet. I'd probably just get in the way."

"Well, you could stay behind the main group, and if a battle is met, just watch and learn? Your choice, of course, but some lessons can only be learned on the battlefield."

"W-well, if you think it wise, captain."

"Just stay by me and you'll be fine."

"Oh, yes! I mean- yes, sir! I'll do that!"

"Now, as for you two…" Chrom turned to face Robin and I.

"Of course I'll come. You need a tactician, after all."

"Well, you are the only people I know, so I suppose I'll come."

"Not so fast, Zack. I know that you can fight, but I want to test your skill before I allow you to come along on this dangerous mission. Meet me at the training grounds in an hour." With that, Chrom walked out of the room.

"Come on, you guys will need rooms for the night!" Lissa skipped off to a door on the other side of the room, and beckoned to us.

"After you." I made an exaggerated sweeping motion with my arms, allowing Robin to go ahead of me. I could feel her eyes roll as she walked past.

When we had dropped Robin off at her room, Lissa began to guide me to mine. Once we were out of earshot, Lissa immediately turned to me with the same devilish smile she had on before.

"So, you and Robin seem to be getting along."

"Yeah, I suppose. Similar situations, I guess. Why the interest?"

"Oh, no reason." It took me a second; then I caught on.

"Oh, no. Lissa, please no."

"What?"

"I know what you're trying to do, I've seen this scenario. You think that Robin and I should be some kind of couple, and you're going to try and sneakily pair us up. Sorry, Lissa, but that isn't happening. I do plan on going home someday, and I'm unsure if I'll be able to take someone with me; or if they'd even want to go. Don't get me wrong, she's a nice girl and we do seem to have similar personalities, but I'm just looking for a way home."

"Aw, you're no fun!"

"Plus, we met just yesterday. I don't think that one day is enough time to get to know someone."

"Okay… this doesn't mean I won't try!"

"I can't wait to see what you try."

"Alright! Oh, this is your room." In front of us was a plain wooden door, kept together with large iron braces. "And the training ground is just down the hall from here! Good luck in your match with Chrom!" Lissa walked off with a wave, presumably back to her own room. I turned to my new one and went inside. It had a single window at the back with, admittedly, an amazing view; a desk on one wall and a bed opposite, and a bookshelf near the door.

"Well, I guess this is where I'll be staying for the next little while." I sat down on the bed, and began to think about recent events. "I hope I can get back soon."

 **A/N: That was a long one. I hope you guys enjoyed; I know I did. With everything I set up, I feel like this story is going to be a very fun one to write, and hopefully, to read. So, if you have any questions, concerns or comments, please feel free to review or PM. Until the next chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4

It took me awhile to find the training grounds, but I did find the place eventually. It was a small, grassy area that had different sections dedicated to different fighting styles. Most of the areas had dummies, and near each dummy was a varying degree of damage. The middle section, however, was a fenced-off circle that was used for battles against a living opponent. Standing in the center of the arena was Chrom, sword stuck in the dirt at his side. More of the Shepherds were surrounding the ring, eager to see Chrom fight the new guy. I managed to instantly spot Lissa, Robin, Sully, Vaike, Virion and Frederick, all standing around the ring and having what appeared to be an intense conversation. There were other Shepherds there too; Maribelle was sitting off to the side and seeming disinterested, Sumia was talking with a young kid wearing a really big hat, and there was a woman wearing an equally big hat writing something down on a piece of paper.

"He finally shows up!" Chrom noticed me first.

"It's more difficult to find than you might think. Plus, I had some things to think over."

"Well, are you ready? It's time I saw your skill."

"Alright. Can somebody hold my hat, please?" I took it off and gave it to Lissa's outstretched hand. As I jumped into the ring, I saw her give it to Robin out of the corner of my eye. _Well played, princess._

"So, I hear you excel at close quarters. That's what we'll be testing."

"Good. I don't think I would do very well in a swordfight." Chrom withdrew his sword from the dirt and laid it on the side of the ring. He turned back to me and immediately went into a fighting stance. I did the same, but that garnered a few whispers and silent laughs from the onlookers. "What are you guys laughing about? Is something wrong with my fighting stance?"

"It's just that you have your hands open; nobody here has seen that kind of stance before," Sumia kindly informed me.

"It's not worth laughing at though, is it?"

"Well, the last guy who decided to fight Chrom didn't know what he was doing, and he fought with open hands. It was embarrassing for him."

"I see. Well then, time to show how well open-handed fighting can work."

"Are you just going to chat, or are we going to fight?"

"Sheesh, you're impatient. Okay, let's go!" Chrom immediately moved towards me in an obvious attempt at a surprise first strike. He was fast enough that it would have worked on an inexperienced opponent, but not me. I immediately moved back, avoiding the punch entirely. Chrom quickly struck out with his other arm, which I moved to the side of. The fight continued in this way for the next little while, until Chrom finally got fed up.

"You have to attack at some point!"

"I know how to fight, Chrom."

"Then why aren't you?"

"I am. Ever heard of analyzing your opponent?" With that, I began to attack. My punches managed to distract him while my legs found the openings I had seen in his style. Combine the force of the kicks with the fatigue he had undergone, and Chrom wasn't looking too good. I stepped back and awaited his next move. He looked surprised and exhausted, but was still standing. He took a second, then attacked again. This time, while I jumped back I grabbed his wrist with both my hands, making sure they were in the right position. Just before Chrom tried to attack with his other hand, I twisted his arm around and pushed on the pressure point in his wrist, making him fall to his knees. "Do you yield?"

"Not ye- AAUGH!" I had just bent his wrist a little bit more. "Okay, okay, I yield!" I released his wrist.

"I'm guessing I would have been utterly destroyed in a swordfight."

"You've got that right. You know, you have some very good moves; I've never actually seen a fighting style quite like that one."

"Well, everyone has their own way of fighting, but my style's roots are Tae-Kwon-Do." I got some confused looks.

"Your style's roots are what?"

"Tae-Kwon-Do. It's a martial art. I guess it doesn't exist here. Basically, it's a method of fighting close quarters that is much better than just trying to punch someone."

"Well, you may have to teach us sometime."

"Sure… if you guys are willing to teach me how to use swords, magic, and ride a horse." Chrom gave me a pat on the back and chuckled.

"I'll see what I can do." He walked over and picked up his sword, but was assaulted by Lissa and Sumia, both wanting to know about his health. Everyone else came over to me, and began to assault me with congratulations. Thankfully, I managed to stop them before it got too out of hand.

"Thank you, but I'm really tired. I didn't get a full night's sleep, and I just put a lot of effort into beating up the prince, so I'm going to go sleep for awhile." They all seemed to understand and backed off, returning to whatever they were doing before the fight. That is, of course, except for Robin. She handed me my hat, which I promptly put back on.

"That really was something, you know. I only got to see what you were doing out of the corner of my eye before, so this was quite the experience."

"Yeah, but I'm useless against any normal enemies you guys go up against. I absolutely refuse to kill, and a sword is something I really can't defend against."

"It was still amazing to watch. I'll come get you for dinner, if you want."

"Um… yeah, okay. I'll be asleep in my room; I'm guessing you know where it is."

"No, but I can find out from Lissa. Now go have your nap."

"Thanks." I turned and exhaustedly trundled back to my room.

The dinner was quite… interesting. The food itself was incredible; not normally things I would eat, but utterly enjoyable. When I came in, Sully waved me over. She introduced me to Miriel, the woman I had seen reading near the arena; Ricken, the boy Sumia was talking to earlier and Stahl, a man who was continually stuffing his face. Throughout the course of the dinner, I managed to learn that Miriel and Ricken were both mages, and had exceptional magical prowess. Stahl was a cavalier, and highly adept with a sword, though he claimed he wasn't very good. All of them were incredibly nice and accepting to someone that hadn't explained where he came from or how he got here. The camaraderie between these people was so incredible that it seemed to expand to new members, and the least I could do was try and return that kindness. I was never one to talk much, but I made it my mission to ask as many questions as I could about the world I now found myself in. To my utter joy, Miriel was somewhat of a scientist. I explained the situation to her as best I could as she took notes and the others around half-drifted off. She had questions about my world, which I happily answered; this made for a very lengthy and complicated discussion between us that went well into the evening. She eventually had to leave in order to take in everything she had just been told, and we bid each other good night. I looked around to see that most of the other Shepherds had done the same thing; the hall was now almost empty. The only ones left were myself, Chrom, Lissa, Emmeryn, Frederick and Robin. Chrom actually beckoned me over, and I obliged.

"Before we all head in for the night, there are a few things that need discussing."

"Uh… okay."

"First, we've found you some teachers."

"That fast?"

"They were quite eager. Your horse riding instructor shall be Sully. Honestly, I fear for you."

"It can't be that bad, can it?" Looks from both Chrom and Frederick told me otherwise.

"Stahl will be teaching you how to use a sword. I'd do it myself, but people have told me that I can be a bit… excessive… when it comes to swordplay."

"Excessive?! You made a hole in the training wall!"

"How long are you going to hold that against me?"

"Until you fix it, mister!"

"Ugh. Anyway, your magic teacher will be Robin." I saw Lissa giving a smaller version of her devilish smile out of the corner of my eye. "I would have gotten Miriel, given your lengthy conversation tonight, but I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Why not?"

"A person can only take so much… logic."

"Oh."

"And, finally, Emmeryn just wants to really meet you."

"O-oh… um… I-I thought that we already met."

"Well, you said your name to me, but that's all I really know." Despite her calm, soothing voice, I wasn't exactly at ease. She was a queen, after all.

"U-um… well…"

"Would you mind if I asked you some questions?"

"O-oh, okay."

"First, I must ask, how are you settling in here?"

"Honestly? Too well."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure how much you've been told, but I live a very, very long way from here, and I'm not sure I'll be able to get back. And yet, being here isn't what scares me; it's how readily I accepted it. Most people would be absolutely terrified that they just found themselves in unfamiliar surroundings with people who are, frankly, quite intimidating. Meanwhile, I've felt almost a sense of calm while here; not total calm, mind you, but I don't feel entirely desperate to get home." This was followed by an uncomfortable silence, mostly on my part. Emmeryn's smile had somewhat faded, and everyone was looking at me with slightly concerned looks. _Great. Now you've gone and gotten them to feel bad. Say something smart!_ "But, other than that, I'm doing quite well, thank you." _Yep. Definitely didn't worry them more._

"Well, I suppose that's not so bad." Now seemed like the best time to get out of there.

"I'm sorry, your Majesty, but I'm quite tired. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to head to bed."

"Of course. I hope to learn more about you later, young one." I stood up from my seat.

"Well, goodnight all." They all gave me a wave as I walked out of the room. _Let's see if I can remember my way back. Shouldn't be too hard… right?_

 **A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed! I'm a little worried because of how calm I've made myself, so I'm going to provide an explanation later. Don't worry, it actually makes sense; it's proven psychology. I'm pretty sure. Anyway, don't be afraid to review or PM with any questions, concerns or comments. Until the next chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes as my new troupe made its way out of Ylisstol. We had woken up at a seemingly ungodly hour, as the sun wasn't quite in the sky yet. To my chagrin, nobody else seemed to feel the same way. They were all marching with heads held high, completely ready for anything that might happen. _Seems like they do this just about every morning. Hooray._

"Feeling okay?" Lissa had slowed down to walk; or rather, skip, beside me. I tried my best at an early-morning smile.

"I'm alright; just not used to waking up this early."

"I'm barely over it. Don't worry; it doesn't take long to get into the swing of it."

"Yeah, I know. That was a very clever move, by the way."

"Hmm? What move?"

"Suggesting that Robin be my magic teacher. You know; that move."

"No idea what you're talking about…" she began to skip faster, catching up with her brother, a sly smile on her face.

"Sure you don't." I was suddenly sent sprawling forward as a hand slapped down on my back.

"Still need a bit of muscle, kid!" Vaike gave a hearty laugh, then wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "Teach can help with that! ...But he was also wondering if you knew anything about ladies."

"Not really. I can kinda tell when they have an attraction to someone, but that's about it. Why?"

"No reason." His response was much too fast to not raise suspicion. Fortunately for him, Chrom called out to the group.

"We've heard that there are Risen blocking the road ahead, so everyone get ready."

"Risen?"

"That's what we've decided to name those monsters we encountered in the woods."

"Aw, man! I wanted to name them! Although, Risen is a pretty good name…"

"Well, if you wanted a part in the discussion, you should have been awake for it." _Geez, how early do these people wake up?!_ "So, is everyone… wait, we're missing people. Where are Stahl, Miriel, Maribelle and Ricken?"

"Well, Maribelle had to go back home due to some uprising rumours, and sis didn't want Ricken to go."

"Well, what about Stahl and Miriel?"

"I'm here!" The man in green armour came running up, completely out of breath and an apologetic expression on his face. "Sorry; nobody really told me, and I had to miss breakfast. And today there were muffins! Oh, and Miriel's just behind me. She was deep into some calculations or something."

"But I told Vaike to tell you…" Lissa turned and glared at the shirtless man, who was averting his gaze. "Vaike…!"

"Alright, so Teach might'a forgot…"

"Well, at least it wasn't your axe again."

"Hey, that was one time! Besides, Teach has his axe right…" the man reached for a spot of air on his back. "...here? I could'a sworn…"

"This is no time for games, Vaike."

"No, really! I can't find my axe!"

"Well, look, just… stay to the back, alright? Let's go." _Aw, man! Why did Chrom have to put_ him _with me? Oh, well. Roll with the punches, I guess._ With that, our troupe moved forward, towards things yet unknown.

It seems that there were indeed Risen on the road ahead. Not many, thankfully, but they were blocking the closest bridge. I didn't get to see much of that fight, since I was delegated to the back. Combat skills or no, an unarmed fighter isn't really all that great against these guys. Well, at least Robin's plan kept me safe. That, and I wasn't completely alone. Vaike joined me in the rear ranks while he didn't have his axe, but Miriel soon came and remedied that problem. He went charging off into the fray, leaving me with the scientist.

"I have a few concerns regarding your theory, and your eventual return to your home world."

"Now isn't really the time, Miriel."

"Nonsense; we are quite far from danger, and minds work much better with enhanced stimulus."

"Unfortunately for me, you're right. So, what were your concerns?"

"Firstly, regarding this 'vibrational theory' you have given, how do you intend to pinpoint the exact frequency of your home world?"

"I've been thinking about that too. It's the biggest obstacle I'm not sure we can overcome with your current level of technology. Are there any spells that might help?"

"None that I am aware of. This brings me to my second concern. Somewhere in the world is a place called the 'Outrealm Gate'. It allows persons to travel between this world and many others, but it is difficult to control. If we were to find it, there would be no guarantee that it would take you back to your home world."

"Well, if that's our best bet, then I say go for it. Find out as much as you can about this 'Outrealm Gate'. I'll do my part as well; no need to burden you further."

"Nonsense; this is not a burden. This is a scientific pursuit that shall broaden multiple horizons. I am all too happy to pursue this goal."

"Well, alright then!"

"Hey! If you two are done chatting, we could use some help!" I looked over to see Chrom struggling with one of the monsters.

"Of course." Miriel ran closer, book open. I was a bit slower. If what she said was true, then there was an excellent chance that I could get back home.

That night found me lying near the river, hat on my chest and head in the clouds. _I can get back. I can really get back._

"But do I want to?" I picked my hat up from my chest and looked at it, reminding myself of everything I was taken away from.

"Want to what?" It seems Robin managed to find me.

"Nothing, just talking to myself." She came and sat down in the sand next to me.

"You know, we have a fire back at the campsite. It's warm and inviting."

"Well, you're welcome to go sit by it. I'm a little absorbed in my thoughts at the moment."

"Come on, go mingle with them. You still haven't really explained to them where you're from."

"That's not really a conversation I look forward to. Anyway, can't you explain it?"

"Well, I don't really get it. The only other one who does is Miriel, and apparently she's not the easiest person to understand." I gave a loud sigh.

"I'll tell them later. I still need some time out here."

"Then I'll join you." She lay down in the sand beside me and looked to the sky. I wasn't about to object company. There was a long silence where we merely sat and stared at the heavens, thoughts racing through my head. _That is a problem, though. How are we going to pinpoint the correct vibrational frequency? Heck, how are we going to know if that theory is even right? And how hard-to-find is this Gate? Figuring out how it works won't be any help if we can't find it. God, what am I going to do?_

"So, what was all that about?" Her first words in quite a while snapped me out of my thoughts.

"All what about?"

"Back in Ylisstol; you know, when Emmeryn asked you that question. You gave a very… concerning answer." I had to think for a minute in order to answer her properly.

"When you look at the stars, what do you see?"

"What?"

"Right now. Looking up at the night sky, what do you see?"

"Well…" I heard her adjust her position, "I see thousands of lights on a black background. It's really pretty, actually."

"I see that too, but I also see potential."

"Potential?" I turned to face her.

"Every single light out there, at least back in my world, is another sun; another set of worlds that could have anything on them. When I look up at the stars, I see opportunities for adventure on worlds that I'm unable to get to." I could see understanding blossoming in her eyes. "When I came here, after the initial shock, I realized that I have an opportunity to live one of those adventures. Of course I miss everyone and everything back home, but part of me doesn't really want to leave. This is the kind of heroic life I've always dreamt of, drawbacks and all. So… yeah. That's what my answer was about." A silence followed. I was now looking back up at the sky, thinking about all I had just said. Obviously, she was too. I just hoped that I didn't scare her.

"That…" She eventually broke the silence, "explains a lot, actually. It can't be easy for you, finally getting what you wanted but being unable to share it with loved ones." _I hadn't really thought about it like that…_ "I can't blame you for having to be by yourself and think so much. I'm sorry about disturbing you."

"No, no; no need to apologize. I needed to say that out loud to someone. Thanks for listening to my inner ramblings."

"Thank you for sharing them." We smiled at each other, and looked to the sky for the final time that night. "Well, I'm certain there's still a fire going, if you're interested."

"I'll join you guys in a minute." I heard her shifting on the sand, then her footsteps receding into the distance. When I was certain that she couldn't hear me, I let out a loud sigh. "Lissa won't have to try very hard, will she?" _Dude, you've known her for, like, three days. You cannot already have a crush._ "I know, I know. Plus, I said I was only going to focus on getting home, so that's what I'll do." _She probably wouldn't go for you anyway. You are having a conversation with yourself._ "Good point. Alright, time I got to that fire. Maybe they have marshmallows here." I got up and dusted myself off, headed for the campsite. Something else struck me. _Did I set up my tent?_ I sped into a run.

 **A/N: Hope you don't think me too strange for having conversations with myself, as that is a thing I do from time to time. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, because I quite enjoyed writing it. As always, be sure to put any questions, comments or concerns in a review or PM. Until the next chapter!**


	6. Chapter 6

Riding a horse was easier than I thought it would be. We were on the march again, headed into the colder regions of this continent. Sully thought it would be a good idea to start my horse training while we were on the move, and it seemed to be an excellent idea. It turns out that riding one used several methods used in martial arts, the primary one being balance. Getting the rhythm of the horse's movement wasn't so hard, but controlling it was. Sully had said that her horse liked me, but I didn't believe it. Every time I tried to tell it to go somewhere, it went the other way. I think it was just trying to mess with me. Stahl eventually rescued me from the contradictory horse, saying that Chrom wanted to see me. I gave a silent thank-you and headed to the front of the procession.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, actually. I wanted to talk to you about upcoming battles. I've given this a lot of thought, and… I don't want you to join the fight."

"Alright."

"It's just that you don't know how to use a weapon yet and… wait, what?"

"Alright."

"Just like that?"

"I'm not a warrior, Chrom. I know that I can't help too much on the battlefield, and I don't want you guys constantly worrying about me, so staying out of it is just fine with me."

"Oh. Well… okay then."

"I'll still jump in if someone needs me, though. You can't deny me that."

"I think I can stand that," he chuckled, patting me on the shoulder.

"Chrom!" Lissa ran up, seemingly very excited. "You have to come see this!"

"See what?"

"Just come on! Oh, and bring a few people; I think it needs help!"

"Right. Robin, Sumia; come with us."

"Oh! And bring Zack! He might want to see it too!"

"Coming!" Lissa led the four of us to a small field that had a large white presence in the middle. From a distance, it looked like an ordinary horse, but as we got closer more details appeared. To my amazement, it had wings and a horn. "It's a PEGASUS!" That made everyone jump, but I could hardly care at that moment. In front of me was a real-life pegasus; a thing that only appeared in fairytales. I raced towards it, unable to stop my sheer excitement. It noticed me, attempted to rear up, and faltered. I managed to control my excitement and stopped just before reaching it. The others caught up with me, still somewhat bewildered.

"What was that about?" The blue-haired man panted.

"Sorry, it's just that pegasi are mythical creatures in my world. They only appear in fictional stories, and now there's one standing in front of me! I couldn't help but be excited!"

"Fair enough, I suppose." Chrom then turned his attention to the beautiful creature. "Hm… it looks like it's injured." He tried approaching it, but it reared up yet again, making the man back off. "Step back; this beast is crazed!" _My fault for scaring it. Stupid, stupid me._ At that moment, Sumia casually strode up. "Sumia, what are you-"

"Hey, hey; it's alright. Don't be afraid. We're here to help." Astoundingly, it worked. The pegasus started calming down, even allowing Sumia to pet its nose. "There you go. See? We aren't going to hurt you."

"That was amazing, Sumia!" Lissa was hopping up and down on the spot. "You calmed it down just by talking to it!"

"It wasn't that amazing…"

"Don't doubt yourself, Sumia; it was quite a feat." This made her blush.

"Th-thank you, captain."

"So… shall we take it with us?"

"Its injuries are too severe; I'm going to stay with it."

"Sumia, are you sure?"

"I'll be fine, don't worry. I'll have her with me." Sumia gently petted the creature's head. "You go on ahead, I'll catch up."

"Alright. You two stay safe. Come on, then. We've still got a lot of ground to cover today." Chrom turned and walked off, Lissa and Robin right behind. I stayed for a brief second longer, admiring the beast, then ran to catch up with them.

"You sure she's going to be alright?"

"Sumia will be fine. She's stronger than she looks, you know."

"Still…" I glanced back in her direction to see her lovingly stroking the pegasus.

"Really, don't worry. I trust her. You should too."

"Okay." It wasn't that I didn't trust her, it was that I felt bad about leaving her all alone. _Well, I suppose she's not entirely alone. She does have a pegasus with her._

She may not have needed us, but we needed her. When we had reached the snowy border to Ferox, they had mistaken us for bandits and attacked. Chrom would have gotten skewered if not for Sumia's quick rescue. I was mostly left out of this fight, considering the Feroxians were wearing extremely heavy armour, and close combat was not a good way to knock them out. During the fight, I noticed a man named Kellam who was fighting on our side. I was told that he was with us the entire trip, but that seemed unlikely considering the massive suit of armour he was wearing. I would have noticed him in that… right? Eventually, the battle called for my assistance. Since I was lightest due to my lack of armour and already being mostly out of the fight, Robin commissioned me to go and open one of the doors.

"You sure?"

"You're the only choice. I'll be close by, but you may have to fight some of them."

"Okay." I took a deep breath; these Feroxi warriors were very intimidating. "Let's do this." We ran across the battlefield towards the latched door, avoiding as much conflict as possible. I was still amazed at the magic that Robin wielded, and often caught myself looking in her direction. _And she's going to teach me how to use it!_ Giving a brief smile, I dashed the last little bit towards the heavy door.

"The lock should be on the top of the wall; there's a ladder to your right. Good luck!" With that, she left me to go and direct the others. After another deep breath, I began to climb the frozen ladder. It felt like it had been an eternity when I finally reached the top when it was really only about a minute. At the top, unsurprisingly, were two guards. Thankfully, they only seemed like low-ranking soldiers. They charged as soon as they spotted me in typical barbaric fashion. One of them had a spear, so he seemed like the one to take down first. Barely avoiding his first thrust, I attempted to get in as close as possible, which proved to be a bit of a challenge considering that his friend decided to fight me as soon as I moved past the spear. I had to dodge back and reassess the situation. It seemed like coming out unscathed would be an impossibility at this point, so I decided to go with my best plan. I once again tried to get past the spear in the exact same manner, making what happened next an easy prediction. The other one came in, I blocked his punch as best I could and hit the one holding the spear. He reeled back, grip on the weapon loosened, and hid behind his friend. That one then tried punching me again, this time with more success. I evaded one punch, but the other one managed to graze my shoulder, showing me just how strong these guys were. Fighting through the pain, I kicked him in the torso as hard as I could, which sent him sprawling back, clutching his ribcage. The other regained his courage and attempted to hit me with the spear once more. The pointed end scraped my leg as it retreated back into my stance, and I instantly struck out with the other one. Foot met jaw with a horrid sound, and he fell back, unconscious. The other, still holding his chest, didn't seem to be one to give up. He sluggishly threw one final punch at me, which I easily blocked, and I returned the gesture to the other side of his ribcage, knocking him out. Without the immediate surge of battle, the pain caught up with me. It turns out that the cut in my leg was one of those tiny cuts that stings like nothing else. The enormous bruise on my shoulder wasn't anything new; I got plenty of those in just regular sparring.

"Ouch!" The stinging began to set in. "Okay, now where's… Aha!" The lever was just above the door. I pulled it and heard the satisfying sounds of gears turning. "Time to let them know." I ran back to the ladder, and decided to try something. "Always wanted to do this…" I turned around and slid down it. It wasn't as exciting as I had expected, but it still felt satisfying. I went to a clear spot on the field, and began waving to everyone. Robin saw me first, and gave a relieved yet horrified look. I only just realized my mistake. Standing in the open, waving and jumping up and down was not the most subtle way of informing people of where I was, so, naturally, everyone now knew. That included enemy archers. One of them decided I was worth their time, and aimed at me. I stood like a deer in headlights, terrified of what was about to happen. The arrow fired, and I watched it head towards me in what felt like slow motion. Then something pushed me out of the way. Robin had reached me just in time, and pushed me out of the way. However, that put her in the arrow's path, and I watched in horror as it embedded itself in her shoulder. Another arrow shot down the archer as Virion came running over and Robin fell to the ground.

"Robin!" I managed to catch her head before it hit the snow. "Oh no! I'm so sorry! Wh-what should I do?!"

"Virion; go get Lissa…" He nodded and ran off. She then turned and gave me a pained smile. "Don't worry. It isn't… so bad. I'll live."

"You have an arrow stuck in your arm!" I looked to see a red spot forming on her robe where the shaft was sticking out. "And it's all my fault!"

"No, it isn't. It's mine."

"WHAT?! How can it be your fault?! I was the one being an idiot! Don't you dare try to place the blame anywhere it isn't deserved!" She managed to give a slight chuckle.

"Okay, if you insist."

"Back away from the lady!" Lissa had come over, staff raised high. I moved back and watched her work. I flinched when Lissa pulled the arrow out, but continued to observe her work her literal magic. The whole time, I couldn't help but feel horrible. I had just caused someone to get injured protecting me while I wasn't paying attention. I had become a burden to these people, and now I got one of them injured. If nothing else, I had to make it up to her. "She'll be fine." Lissa had finished and was now looking in my direction. "Don't worry, this happens all the time. We do fight a lot, you know." She gave me a smile, but it wasn't very reassuring. "Now, let's get you all healed up."

"No, don't bother; it's not too bad, just a couple of bruises. Other people need more help than I do."

"You sure?"

"Yep."

"Okay then!" She turned and ran off, leaving me standing alone in the snow. As soon as she was out of sight, I clutched my shoulder. _Hurts more than I thought. Still, she's needed more elsewhere._ I made sure to stay out of sight for the rest of the battle.

We stayed in the village just beyond the wall that night. The general, who realized her mistake when the battle was all said and done, told us that the trip to Regna Ferox would take about a day, so she advised rest in the town. I found myself lying on my bed, half-reading something about that Outrealm Gate Miriel had told me about. I was reading the words, but my mind was on what I had done. Yes, I did help the Shepherds get through the wall, but I also managed to injure one of them by being stupid. I frustratedly tossed the book aside and sighed.

"What was I even thinking? I never belonged here. The sooner I get home, the better." There was a knock at my door. "Come in." I sat up and saw Robin standing at the door.

"You aren't still moping over that, are you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Come on; it's pretty obvious. Me getting shot really shook you up."

"Well, what did you expect? Huh? I'm the reason you got hurt out there."

"It wasn't that bad a hit." She came and sat down beside me. "Besides, I chose to save you, so it's my fault for getting hit."

"If that's your way of trying to console me, it isn't very good."

"Guess I'm no therapist," she chuckled. It was then that my shoulder decided to hurt again. I clutched it, getting a stare from Robin. "Zack? You okay?"

"It's just a bruise; nothing to worry about." Without warning, she got in very close and began to inspect my shoulder. "What are you doing?"

"A bruise wouldn't be hurting you to the point of grabbing the spot. Hm… I'm no doctor, but I think you have a much more severe injury."

"I told you, it's just a bruise." She poked it, and I let out a small grunt of pain.

"No, it's not. When were you going to let someone look at it?"

"Well…"

"Are you telling me you weren't going to go get healed?"

"Lissa has enough healing to do without having to deal with me. It isn't bad, so I just wanted to let it heal naturally."

"You aren't doing that anymore. If you get hurt, tell someone as soon as you can. I want everyone to always be at their best."

"Oh yeah? And what about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you had an arrow in your shoulder; you can't possibly be at _your_ best."

"Lissa's healing is better than you think."

"Oh yeah? I can see the bandages on your shoulder." I pointed to the small spot of white sticking out near her neck. "Don't tell me about staying healthy when you purposefully crippled yourself." She gave an expression that a child does when they're caught taking a cookie.

"Okay, I might not be at my best; but that doesn't mean you can't be at yours. For all of us… for me; could you please let people look at your injuries from now on? Please?" Robin gave me a look that, for some reason, I seemed to be unable to refuse. A sigh escaped my lips.

"I suppose I can do that. You just make sure you don't get severe injuries again."

"What? Only severe?"

"I know that small hits are inevitable, so may as well keep you away from the big ones." She laughed.

"Alright, I think I can do that." She got up to leave, then spun around and offered me a hand. "Now, let's get you to our healer." I took it, and followed her to Lissa. _Great. Now I want to stay again; thanks for that, Robin. Oh, well. I guess it's not so bad._

"What did you do?!" My shoulder was definitely worse than I had thought.

 **A/N: Happy Holidays! Hoped you enjoyed the chapter; I know I enjoyed writing it. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, leave a review or give me a PM. Until the next chapter!**


	7. Chapter 7

"...So now we've been roped into fighting in a tournament." Chrom was explaining to us how we were going to get help from these people. "There are four rounds, each a one-on-one duel. The rounds are: a swordfight, a magic duel, a joust, and a hand-to-hand fight. So, Robin, who should do what?" She thought for a minute before replying.

"Well, I'm guessing that you want to do the swordfight."

"Ha! You guess right."

"Then I'd suggest Frederick for the joust, Vaike for the hand-to-hand, and…" I knew what she was about to say. She wanted to get in the ring herself. All I could do was give her what I hoped was a subtle pleading look. She saw it and paused. "...Miriel for the magic duel."

"Miriel? I would've thought that you'd take the duel."

"My shoulder isn't exactly at its best yet, so Miriel is our best option."

"Alright then, it seems tasks are set. Us four should go rest up so that-"

"Excuse me, Chrom?" They all looked at me.

"What is it?"

"If Vaike doesn't mind, I'd like to take the hand-to-hand." I could feel Robin's fierce gaze on me. I knew it was somewhat hypocritical, but I didn't care. If there was going to be a way of repaying, this would definitely go towards it.

"Hm… Vaike?"

"If the kid wants ta, the Vaike can step outa the way."

"Robin?" She was hesitant, and with good reason. She was the one who discovered how hurt I really was.

"No offense to Vaike, but I am a much better close-quarters fighter. Plus, my shoulder has healed; Lissa told me so. Whether you want to admit it or not, I'm your best bet at winning this fight." She gave a huge sigh.

"You're right. Okay, he's in."

"Well then, that settles that. The tournament begins in an hour. Be ready." Most of the Shepherds left, leaving me, Robin and Lissa. One of them immediately walked up to me and punched me in the shoulder.

"Ouch! ...Yeah, I deserved that."

"Why?" Lissa skipped over, somewhat confused.

"Because he was being a hypocrite."

"What do you mean?"

"I pretty much asked her to stay out of the tournament, then volunteered for it."

"...Oh." She looked from one to the other, then gained a smile. "So… how did you ask?"

"What?"

"How did you two talk to each other in the middle of a conversation?"

"He kinda… gave me a look, I suppose."

"I see…!" Without another word, she bounced out of the room. _Man, she isn't even doing anything. I guess it's not like I'm resisting or anything._

"That was… strange. Do you know what that was about?"

"Er…" _Tell her and regret it, guaranteed._ "No, no clue. She must be gearing up for another prank."

"So long as it doesn't involve frogs. I've had enough of those things to last a lifetime."

"Really? Within about a week of knowing her?"

"You'd be surprised. Anyway, you should be getting ready for the fight."

"Right." She half-stormed out of the room, leaving me alone. "This should be interesting. Guess I should warm up."

The fight was surprisingly easy. Much like Chrom, the man I faced tried to focus on brute strength rather than maneuvering, which made my life very simple. I dodged most of his attacks and blocked the ones I couldn't. Eventually, he got exhausted and attempted to end it with some kind of hold. It began with him grabbing my shoulder, which was his biggest mistake. I kept his hand in place with one of my own, moved my foot behind his, and gave a huge shove to the shoulder opposite me. He came crashing down onto the stone floor, and I raised my fist at his face.

"Give up."

"Never!" I raised my fist the tiniest bit more. Fear shot across his face, and he flailed his other arm in defense. "Okay, okay; you win!" I let go of him, then helped him up. When we were both standing, I gave a bow then offered my hand.

"Good fight." He tentatively reached out and shook it. Without a word, he marched out of the arena. It was only then that I noticed the near silence in the crowd. Heck, it took me that long to really notice the crowd. When I did, my stage fright set in. Heat rushed to my face, and my legs began to shake the slightest amount. I rushed out as quickly as possible. When I left the arena, Stahl was there to greet me.

"That was great! I wasn't there when you fought Chrom, so this was my first experience with your fighting."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and it's amazing! I've been told that you're going to teach it to us."

"That's right."

"Well, even if you do, I'm sure I won't be all that great at it."

"Don't doubt yourself, Stahl! This is something anyone can do if they just work hard at it."

"I don't know about-"

"Trust me. I used to be the same way; I used to think that there was no way I could match up to all of the higher belts, but I eventually became one of them. People actually wanted to learn how to fight from me, and the same thing could happen to you. Thinking about it, you're the one who'll be teaching me how to use a sword."

"...Huh. I guess you're right." A brief expression on his face told me he didn't quite believe it. "Well, we should get to the stands. Chrom's match is the final one, and should be happening soon."

"Lead the way." We began walking down a narrow hallway towards the stands. The walk was mostly silent, until about halfway through.

"For some reason," I turned to Stahl, "Robin seemed a bit upset when watching your match." _Change the subject, change the subject!_

"Hey, speaking of the matches, how many have we won so far?"

"Yours and Frederick's. Miriel actually began to study her opponent rather than fight them. If Chrom wins, then we get our army."

"Good, good."

"Anyway, Lissa told me why she's mad." _Well, no getting away from it, it seems._ "But I still don't get why she's _so_ mad. Do you?"

"We… may have told each other to stay healthier, then I went and volunteered for a duel."

"Ah."

"You cannot tell Lissa."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Because she's the gossip and will expand this way out of proportion, making both my and Robin's lives worse."

"I… think I get it."

"Just… make sure you don't tell her."

"Can do." We had now arrived at our seats. I could see Robin pouting over near the front of our small crowd. She was doing the smart thing and staying away from Frederick, who was vigorously cheering on Chrom, who hadn't even appeared yet. "Maybe you should go say something."

"Just what I was thinking." Stahl waved goodbye, headed over where Vaike, Sully and Virion were sitting. I cautiously made my way over to Robin, and leaned on the rail next to her. "Having fun?" She snapped her head in my direction, then turned back to the ring.

"Not particularly. I'd be having a better time if I got to fight instead of Miriel."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I want to help you, all of you, out as much as possible, and those just seemed like the better options."

"...I guess I can't fault you for that. I'm still upset, though."

"Sorry."

"At least your fight was entertaining."

"Crowd didn't seem to think so."

"What do you mean? Just after you left, they went wild!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! Quite a few were upset that you beat their best man, but most of them were just amazed."

"Huh."

"Oh! Look! Chrom's on!" At the edge of the ring stood the blue-haired man, sword drawn. His opponent had yet to appear, but the air was tense. Well, the air that wasn't filled with Frederick's frantic cheerleading. "Wonder who he'll be facing." We didn't have to wait long. Almost the instant she said that, a figure appeared opposite Chrom. We all gasped. Standing there was a blue-haired person wearing a mask and holding a sword similar to Chrom's. "Isn't that…"

"Marth?!" _What on earth is she doing here?! And what is she doing fighting Chrom?!_

"Who are you, really?" Chrom pointed his sword at his new opponent. Marth remained silent. "Fine. Let's get this over with!" He charged, and she did the same. I stared in awe as blades clashed, sending sparks flying across the arena. Again and again, metal collided with metal sending waves of 'oohs' and 'aahs' throughout the crowd. From where we were sitting, I could just barely manage to make out when the duellists were talking during the fight, but was unable to hear them due to the enthusiastic cheering. I found myself being a small part of that cheering, egging Chrom on. They seemed very even throughout the whole event; in fact, they were very similar. Occasionally, after Chrom had used a move, Marth would use it later, and the reverse was also an occurrence. Strange, but not uncommon. Eventually, however, Chrom managed to take the advantage. In the end, the tip of his sword was pointed at Marth's throat, and she was forced to concede. A wild cheer erupted from the audience, and the tournament was over. We had our army.

Now we had both a new member and a three-day trip back to Ylisstol. Lon'qu, the previous champion, had been ordered by the former ruler, Basilio, to join our little troupe. Honestly, I was pretty glad; now I didn't have to fight in as many battles.

"He'll do ya quite a bit of good. I'll warn you that he has certain… quirks, though."

"Lon'qu will be a welcome addition to the Shepherds."

"Gotta say, boy, you've got quite the group of warriors with you. Never seen my champions beaten so easily."

"Well, I always pick the best."

"So it would seem." Then the large man seemed to notice me. "And you! I've never seen someone beaten with such little effort!"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I've never seen someone beaten with barely any attacks!"

"Oh. Well, he wasn't fighting very smartly. It was all attack, never think."

"But he was my best brawler…"

"Doesn't mean he was the best fighter."

"Ha ha! I like this kid! You better keep him around, boy."

"That's actually the opposite of our intention."

"What?"

"He's a bit lost, so we're trying to help him find his way home."

"I see. Well, I hope you find it."

"Thank you, Basilio; for both your man and your compliments."

"No problem, boy." He turned and strode out of the room. We walked the other direction, only to run into Flavia, the new ruler.

"Well done, prince! You managed to get that oaf out of my way!"

"Just upholding our end of the bargain."

"And I'll uphold mine, especially after that show you gave us. I'll even throw in rooms for the night; you'll need them."

"Thank you, Flavia."

"My pleasure. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a throne to sit on! Ha ha ha!" They smiled at each other, and Chrom beckoned me out of the room.

"Well, since we now have rooms, I say we go rest up. It's still quite a ways back to Ylisstol."

"I couldn't agree more." My stomach made an enormous noise. "Although, I am quite hungry."

"You're not alone. I'm sure the cooks here can make us something if we ask. Come on." The rest of that night was spent eating the delicious Feroxi cuisine and sleeping away my exhaustion. Something told me that the trip back would be the time for fun.

 **A/N: Okay, I know it may seem like I'm too good at fighting right now, but as the enemies get tougher I will get weaker. Trust me, I do know how to write. Also, the one-on-one tournament style was inspired by the story 'This is a Fight to Change the World' by jankmaster98. Go read it, it's a fantastic story. Anyway, if you have any questions, concerns or comments, feel free to leave a review or PM. Until the next chapter!**


	8. Chapter 8

The walk back to the palace signified the beginning of my sword training. The whole first day was spent with Stahl having me get used to the feel of a sword, which was surprisingly heavy. I almost dropped the thing the first time he gave it to me. By the time we had set up camp for the night, I was able to carry it somewhat comfortably; though it still wasn't an easy thing to do. Speaking of camp, we had set up near a lake that became the river we encountered on our way there. I had a burning question around the dinner table that night.

"Hey, um, does anyone have a pair of shorts I can borrow?"

"You do know it's still cold around here, right?" Lissa asked.

"Yeah, but there's a lake."

"...So?"

"I plan to have a bit of fun tomorrow."

"I still don't get it."

"Well, I'm gonna… know what? You'll just have to wait and find out."

"Aw!"

"It's nothing exciting, so don't get your hopes up. Anyway, back to the question. Shorts?" I got stares for an answer. "Well… anyone have pants they don't want that might fit me?"

"I might have a pair."

"Thanks, Stahl!"

"No problem." He got up and walked off to go get them.

"Oh, and I'll need some scissors."

"I might have a pair in my tent." Robin got up. "Gimme a second." She turned and fast walked away.

"She seemed eager." Lissa had that grin again.

"And so did Stahl. What's your point?"

"Well…" I sighed.

"She does not."

"Aw, come on! It's totally-"

"Besides, why are we focussing on her when we should be focussing on you?"

"Wh-what?" Her cheeks began to darken. I had her.

"You've been hanging around with Stahl quite a bit lately; care to explain?"

"W-well, you have too!"

"That's because he's my new teacher. What's your excuse?"

"U-um…" She was the colour of a tomato. "I-I have to get going!" She stood up and ran, leaving me feeling satisfied.

"Should keep her away for a little while."

"Got them!" Robin and Stahl managed to arrive back at the exact same time.

"Thanks, you guys! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some preparations to do." I gratefully took both items and headed to my tent. Tomorrow would be a day of relaxation.

That morning I ate breakfast, did a few stretches, grabbed a towel, then changed into my new swimsuit. It was actually quite a comfortable fit; and it was blue. Blue usually suits me. I wrapped the towel around my neck and walked out of my tent to be greeted by groans and a laugh from Sully.

"What? I'm wearing shorts."

" _Only_ shorts." Chrom, along with almost everyone else, was covering his eyes.

"So? Vaike goes around shirtless all the time."

"He still wears more clothing than that! Anyway, what are you doing dressed like that?"

"Swimming."

"What?"

"I thought it would be a good idea to go swimming. You know, for fun. You guys are welcome to join me."

"That's… actually not a bad idea."

"Uh-huh. That's why I'm doing it."

"Alright then; we're taking the day off." A small cheer arose from the assembled crowd. "Enjoy it while it lasts."

"Well, like I said, I'm off to the lake. If anyone wants to join me, they're more than welcome." I then turned and sauntered down to the lake, eager to swim. As soon as it was in sight, I threw my towel on the sand and ran in, immediately diving beneath the shimmering blue surface. The feeling of being underwater has always been some kind of indescribable bliss, but this one somehow felt even better. Maybe it was the return to something at least mildly normal that gave the first dive its extreme level of ecstasy, but it really didn't matter. The feel of diving was all that I needed at that moment. Before long, I resurfaced, completely rejuvenated. I looked to shore and saw several others come to at least relax on the beach. I was waved over by a small group, and I swam near.

"How is it?" Sumia was looking tentatively at the water.

"Refreshing. You guys should come in."

"That was Teach's plan!" Vaike ran and jumped into the water, managing to dampen everyone nearby. I couldn't help but laugh. Several frustrated "Vaike!"s signified that my opinion was the unpopular one.

"Anyone else?"

"Um…" Robin was blushing. "I want to, but… I'm not sure I know how."

"You mean you don't know how to swim?" She gave an embarrassed nod. "That's okay; you can learn."

"I don't know…"

"Back home, I helped, albeit minimally, my little sister learn how to swim. I'm sure I can help you."

"You're… willing to do that?"

"Of course. Teaching you to swim can't even come close to thanking you guys for accepting me and trying to help me right away."

"Well, I guess I have no choice now." She began to cautiously move towards the water.

"Wait! You may want to at least take your cloak off. The more clothes you have, the more impaired your movement."

"Really?"

"Really. Why else would I only be wearing shorts?"

"I guess you're right." She removed her cloak, and the little boy inside me did a flip. She was absolutely gorgeous; slightly muscular thanks to all of her training, and perfect complexion. Apart from a scar on her shoulder. When she was down to an undershirt and pants, it was visible, and making me feel terrible. She started rolling up her pant legs, then stopped halfway. "What?" I had been staring.

"Nothing! Nothing." I could feel my face beginning to heat up.

"Uh-huh." She slowly made her way into the water, probably shocked by the sudden influx of cold. "Brr. I thought you said it was refreshing?"

"Actually, that brings us to the first part of our lesson."

"It… does?"

"You have to jump in."

"What?!"

"It's conditioning; we're making your body get used to the temperature faster so that you don't feel the cold for very long."

"Okay…" I walked up to my chest, and beckoned for her to follow. She took a deep breath and ran in. The sudden shock caused her to take a sharp intake of breath, then complain at me. "I thought you said I wouldn't feel it!"

"I said you have to get used to it. But, if you want to get warm, movement is an excellent option."

"W-well then, start the lessons! P-please!"

"Alright, alright. Though, you may not want me to be the one holding you. Hey, Sumia?" She was in the water by now, splashing around. She swam over to us.

"Yes?"

"Wanna help me teach Robin how to swim?"

"Of course!"

"Now, since we only really have today, we'll start with moving in the water. Grab my shoulders."

"Okay…" She placed a hand on either shoulder. "Now what?"

"Now we're gonna start kicking. Sumia, hold her up and make sure she doesn't hit anyone."

"Got it!" Robin was now suspended between the two of us, seemingly hovering in the frigid water.

"Now, start doing alternating kicks." The water behind her started to churn as her legs moved in a surprisingly fluid motion. "Very good! You sure you haven't done this before?"

"Don't patronize me."

"But he's right, Robin! You already seem like you know what you're doing!"

"Really?"

"Really!" A smile found its way onto her face.

"I must have learned before, then."

"I wouldn't doubt it. I mean, Sumia's let go and you haven't noticed."

"What?!" It was true; Sumia wasn't holding onto Robin's torso anymore. She was staying afloat under her own power.

"Since you have the legs down, let's see if you can do the arms." She smiled at me, and I smiled back. In that moment, I suddenly realized just how pretty she really was. Her beaming face was complimented beautifully by her oddly charming purple hair, which was styled surprisingly perfectly in its ponytail. My heart skipped a beat. _God, I am getting a crush, aren't I? Hope this goes away._ "Now, copy me." I went through the arm motions that I knew so well, really hoping that she did actually know how to swim, and had just forgotten. My hopes were realized when she copied the arm movements exactly. "Geez, I guess you do already know."

"Huh. Well then, let's test it out." She took a deep breath, and swam. I wasn't a terrible swimmer, but I did have some skills, and she was already better. It was like she was gliding through the water; her motions were so practiced that it looked more than natural. As she got deeper, the urge became irresistible. I took a deep breath and hid myself under water. Nobody could beat me down there. Without hesitation, I sped towards Robin, arm reaching for a leg. She abruptly stopped, and seemed to be looking around somewhat frantically, probably wondering where I went. She would soon find out. I heard a muffled scream as hand met leg, and I had to surface just to laugh.

"Ha hahaha! Oh, man!"

"Gods, Zack!"

"Ah-ha. 'Gods'? I kinda like that."

"What were you doing?!"

"Well, Robin, I was pulling a classic prank on you. Welcome to swimming!" A swathe of water entered my vision.

"Jerk!"

"Oh, you're gonna regret that!" The splash war began.

For the rest of that day, everything felt normal. I was having fun on what felt like a camping trip with tons of friends, I got to go swimming, and best of all, nobody attacked us. That day, I felt like I was back home. That reality broke slightly when we had to return to camp, and Frederick was busy sharpening all the weapons, but other than that I felt entirely at home. In fact, that night found me sitting in my tent, doing one of my favourite hobbies: reading. Sumia had given me a novel to read; definitely not my favourite, but not a bad one.

"Zack? You awake?" I bookmarked the page, and turned my attention to the blue-haired man standing at the tent entrance.

"Yep. Need something?"

"Actually, I came to thank you."

"What for?"

"For getting us to have a day off. It's so rare that we get a chance to relax and have a bit of fun, so I thought I should thank you for that."

"My pleasure. Actually, that was my thanks to you guys. I wouldn't have lasted a day out in this insane world if not for all of you. I don't think I'll ever repay that debt."

"Well, I'm sure we can find a way. Make sure you get some sleep, we're moving out early. I don't want to worry Emm too much."

"Got it." He smiled and left the tent. I was about to get back to my book when I was interrupted yet again.

"...Zack?" A purple-haired individual was poking her head through the flap.

"Yes?"

"I was wondering, do you have any knowledge on tactics?"

"Uh… not really. I've played a few tactical video games, and I'm okay at chess, but that's about it." She gave me an uncomprehending stare. "Oh, right; nothing like that here. Well, I know a couple of things, but not much."

"I see. It's just that I wanted your opinion on an strategy I had."

"Well, I can still give it."

"If you're sure." She walked in and placed a large map between us, covered in scribbles and dots; presumably for unit placement. "Does this look like it would work?"

"Um… depends. What's the goal?"

"Defeat the enemy with no casualties."

"Hmm… and what do these ones represent?" She gave a loud sigh.

"This might not have been the best idea."

"Don't worry; I'm sure that you've done it right. You wouldn't be the tactician if they didn't trust you."

"Still, it's nice to have a second opinion."

"Sorry I couldn't be of more help."

"No, that's okay." She rolled up the map and headed towards the entrance. "Thank you."

"Huh? For what?" Before I even noticed what was happening, she had hurried back and… there was now a wet spot on my cheek. I grabbed at the spot in mild shock as I watched her scurry outside. "Did… did that just happen?" This… this was unprecedented. Girls were never attracted to me; at least, not that I've ever been aware of. _I need some help._ I got up and rushed out of the tent, trying to determine who would be best. _Chrom would be ideal, but even I can see that he's oblivious. Definitely not Virion; Vaike probably wouldn't be a great idea either… not sure Stahl knows much about girls… Kellam probably never gets noticed… Miriel is Miriel… Sully probably doesn't have the most ladylike thoughts… Lissa would make my life miserable… Sumia is probably the one to go with. Now, where's her tent?_ I spotted Frederick being 'dutiful' around the campsite, and went up to him.

"Ah, Zack. Is there something I may do for you?"

"Yes, actually. Um… where's Sumia's tent?"

"Just over that way, near where the mounts are kept. May I ask the reason as to her requirement?"

"It's… personal. Thanks, Frederick." I ran off before he could ask anything else. When I reached the tent, I gave the flap a tentative knock (or whatever the equivalent of a knock is on canvas). "Sumia?"

"Yes?"

"Mind if I asked you something?"

"Not at all! Come on in." I entered to see her fiddling with her hair. "Whatcha need?"

"How do girls work?"

"What?!"

"Sorry, phrasing! Um… what would make a girl like someone?"

"Well, if that person is strong, handsome, kind, caring, has blue hair…" She realized what she just said, and began to blush profusely. I smiled.

"I guessed as much."

"Am I that obvious?"

"Not to him. If you haven't noticed, he's a bit… clueless."

"Anyway, enough about me. Why do you want to know?"

"Well… Robin may have kissed me."

"She did WHAT?!"

"Just on the cheek, nothing too wild. But I'm seriously wondering why. I haven't really done anything to deserve that kind of attention, have I?"

"Hm… well, you did get her to remember how to swim."

"Yeah, but a single swimming lesson doesn't amount to affection, does it?"

"You've also been spending quite a bit of time with her, right?"

"I guess..."

"There you go! Now, you have to do something about this."

"Yeah… I've gotta ignore it."

"Excuse me?"

"Look, I have to admit that I kinda like her back, but I really shouldn't act on it."

"Why not?!"

"Because I might be going back, and I'm not sure if I could bring anyone with me. I don't want to be responsible for heartbreak, especially not hers."

"...Oh."

"I'd appreciate if you didn't tell anyone about this."

"Of course not." She gave me a smile.

"Thanks." I turned and left the tent, slightly dejected. _Wish I could, but I simply can't afford it._ I sighed.

"Everything alright?" I looked to see Chrom giving me a worried expression.

"Yeah, no, everything's fine. Just a little tired."

"Then go get some sleep."

"That's the plan. 'Night, Chrom."

"Goodnight." He walked off, presumably to go patrol the camp, leaving me standing alone in the darkness. Normally, I wouldn't have minded, but that night felt different. Walking through the empty camp, I felt… alone. _I need to get home. If not for my sake, then for everyone else's._ I didn't sleep very well that night.

 **A/N: It may feel a bit rushed, but I want to get past the 'will they/ won't they' part of the story. I wanna see what I can do with a couple that gets used to each other. So, expect us to hook up real soon. As always, be sure to review or PM with any questions, concerns or comments. Until the next chapter!**


	9. Chapter 9

The trip back was filled with sword training, horse riding, studying with Miriel and avoiding Robin. Not completely, mind you, but much more than I would have normally. Thankfully, by the time it began to feel really awkward, we had made it back to Ylisstol. More good news was waiting for us there.

"Sires!" Phila, the leader of the pegasus division that I had no idea existed until that day, came rushing into the throne room in a bit of a panic. "Dire news! The Mad King has taken the Duke of Themis' daughter hostage, and is requesting a trade."

"The Duke's daughter?!" Lissa began to panic. "But that's Maribelle!"

"Unfortunately, yes, m'am. There were rumours of Plegians invading her home town, and she set out on her own yesterday to investigate."

"Well, we have to do something!"

"We will, Lissa. Emm, we're going to go and stop this before it gets out of hand; we'll be back soon."

"No, Chrom."

"What do you mean, 'no'?"

"I cannot allow you go go alone; this mission requires more speech than steel. I will come with you, and attempt negotiations myself."

"What?! Emm, you can't! The people need their Exalt here, for contentment if nothing else."

"The people will be fine without me for a day or two, Chrom. I'm thankful that you are concerned, but there is no need."

"But-"

"Besides, you and the Shepherds can protect me, right?"

"You may be the Exalt, but you can be a real pain to us sometimes." She smiled and gave a small giggle. "Fine. Well, since there's no arguing with you, be ready to leave as soon as you can. We don't have long."

"Very well. Perhaps you would like to tell our other companions of this endeavour?"

"I was just about to go do that. The rest of you should get to the city's gates; it's time for a rescue mission." Chrom turned and walked out the door to the barracks, closely followed by Frederick and Robin. When they were a safe distance away, I dropped to my knees.

"This is all my fault…"

"Pardon me, but what do you mean?"

"I made us late by a day because I wanted to go swimming. Because I delayed us, your friend had to go alone and got kidnapped. I'm sorry…"

"I may not have been there, but I know that this wasn't your doing." I looked up at the kind face of Emmeryn beaming down at me. "Do not blame yourself. The only one at fault here is the one who attacked Themis."

"I still feel guilty." She just smiled wider then walked off, presumably to get herself ready.

"She's right, you know." Lissa was offering me a hand. I accepted it and got up off the ground. "Maribelle would have gone no matter who was here. There's no stopping that noblewoman!" I remained silent. "You gonna pout about this all day?" She poked at my chest, attempting to provoke some kind of reaction. It wasn't going to work. Though, she did try with the most amusing pouty face I had ever seen. "Well, fine. I'll just have Robin come cheer you up."

"I'm not sad."

"What?"

"I don't need cheering up; I'm not sad. What I need to do is make this right. I'll be waiting outside the front gate for you guys." I walked towards the exit determined to correct this mistake. _Actions have consequences, and this is one I can fix._

Everyone was surprised at my actions and demeanour, even though it was quite regular for me. I stayed mostly quiet, only talking when talked to, usually answering any questions Emmeryn had for me. This allowed me time to observe the group, and to think about what I was going to do. Interestingly, I noticed that Robin had started avoiding me. _I'm supposed to be the one doing that; I hope I didn't ruin a friendship. Anyway, back to the much more important task. How am I going to rescue Maribelle?_ Just at that moment, I noticed a blue something dart behind a tree. _Maybe that can help._

Before long, we reached the designated meeting place. Standing before us were several soldiers from the opposing army, all surrounding three people. One of them was a tall woman with pale blonde hair and a very, very skimpy black outfit. Next to her was a man wearing one of the most eccentric getups I had ever seen, and had an insanely evil smile. Standing just off to the side, guarded by two or three men was Maribelle, looking even angrier than when I had met her. _Didn't know that was possible._

"Ah, so the pretentious Exalt has come out of hiding to greet her pitiful neighbours." The man began talking in one of the most annoying voices I had ever heard. It was almost unbearable. "What a monumental day! We should count ourselves lucky, Aversa; it is a rare occurence that she comes down from her high pedestal."

"Enough chat, Gangrel! Tell us your terms for Maribelle's release!"

"Oho! My, what a feisty prince you are! And so to-the-point!"

"Peace, Chrom. It may have been an outburst, but I do agree with Chrom. I wish to know what you desire of us in exchange for the return of our friend."

"Just as impatient as your younger brother. Very well. In exchange for this sharp-tongued noble, all I ask is the Fire Emblem."

"You're insane!"

"Quiet! This is between myself and Big Sister!"

"But you can't-"

"Chrom, please. I apologize, Gangrel, but I cannot hand over the Emblem. It is a treasure sacred to our people, and has limitless worth. However, I am willing to negotiate for a much less steep price."

"No! I want the Emblem! If you won't give it to me, I'll kill her!" He gave a signal to the guards around Maribelle, and they raised their weapons at her throat.

"Don't do it, Lady Emmeryn! These brutes will harm me no matter what you give them!"

"A smart one, isn't she? May I take care of her, my Lord?"

"Why not. I wouldn't mind a show!" The woman who I assumed to be Aversa sauntered over to Maribelle, pulling a magic tome out of… well, I wasn't entirely sure where. Maybe that big throne-like structure behind her neck had a storage compartment.

"Say farewell, noble." Aversa aimed an arm at the struggling Maribelle, before being immediately forced back by a gust of green wind. "What?!"

"Maribelle, let's go!" Ricken had come out of nowhere to save her. "We need to get away from these guys!" Ricken opened his tome and threw another blast of magical wind at Aversa and her men, keeping them at bay. The two ran off into the distance, unable to get past the barrage of guards between them and the rest of us. I saw them scurry off behind a small rock wall, presumably one that Ricken had secretly set up.

"If I cannot bargain for it, I will take the Emblem! Get her!" Some of Gangrel's men moved towards Emmeryn, but Chrom got there before them. With a single strike of his sword, he ended the life of the nearest one.

"Take one step closer, and I'll gut you like fish."

"What's this?! Do you know what you've just done, boy?! You've declared war on Plegia! We will take vengeance for what Ylisse did to us!" Gangrel turned and walked off, giving a chilling cackle. "Kill them all!"

"Get back here you-"

"Milord, please! We must save Maribelle and Ricken."

"Grr. Fine. We'll take Gangrel another day. Emm, stay back and we'll- Zack, wait! What are you doing?!" I was charging off, hoping to surprise the enemy. It worked long enough for me to get to a decent hiding spot; having the unarmed, out-of-place looking guy run in first would be pretty surprising. I had significantly closed the distance between myself and the other two people hiding behind a rock, but there was still quite a bit of open space between us, with enemies dotting the area. I scanned the landscape, searching for a potential route. There was one way that was only blocked by a single bad guy, but I had to be fast; more were closing in on my opportunity. My feet shot forward, body acting before thought. The guy was stunned when he saw an unarmed, strangely dressed civilian running headlong towards him. I, almost begrudgingly, shoulder checked him and kept going, eyes locked on my intended target. I could hear the angered yell from the recovered soldier behind me, and I sped forward, reaching Ricken and Maribelle's hiding place before he got to me.

"Wah!" I accidentally ran into Ricken, who had his back turned, and sent us both toppling to the ground.

"Oof! Sorry!" I got up off of him, and offered a hand, which he accepted.

"That's okay… say, don't I know you?"

"Yeah, I'm the guy from another world."

"Oh, yeah!"

"Pardon me," Maribelle made us both jump slightly, "but we are still in peril. I presume you came to rescue us?"

"Sorta…"

"'Sorta'? What baseborn language. But, more importantly, I suppose, what do you mean?"

"Well, I rushed over here with the _intention_ of rescuing you guys…"

"Great! So what's your plan?"

"That's the thing. Unlike normal, I ran in without a plan. So, I'm about as stuck as you." They both stared at me in somewhat angry, somewhat dismayed ways. "Don't worry, though; I can think of something. Puzzle-solving has always been something I enjoy." This time they looked annoyed and confused.

"This isn't exactly a- look out!" Ricken shot a blast of wind magic over my shoulder, sending the man I had shoulder-checked flying into the distance. "That was close. Anyway, this isn't exactly a puzzle, you know."

"Sure it is; it's a problem with a solution that needs figuring out, making it a puzzle. Now…" I poked my eyes above the rock. "Let's see…" The Shepherds were now fighting the enemy, managing to distract about half from their previous objective. The other half was headed towards us, the ranged ones already firing off shots from whatever weapon they were carrying. Even with so many still after us, our options had increased significantly. The misshapen terrain was now providing us with different ways that had cover, the problem being that it was nearly impossible to tell where those paths led, and most of the ones that had determinable exits usually led right to the enemy. We had very few choices.

"Any ideas?" Ricken was peering over the rock beside me, presumably trying to figure it out as well.

"Not much choice, it seems." I turned back to the two of them, two plans forming. "We have two options: take a path that we have no idea where it goes, but the path itself is clear of enemies," an affirming nod from them, "or the path that's much more open, has a few enemies in it and might be difficult to traverse, but is the shortest and clearest route to the Shepherds." Another affirming nod. "Personally, I prefer the second one, but I'd like to know your opinions."

"Second."

"The latter."

"Alrighty then; I'll lead the way. Ricken, we'll need cover from you when we're out in the open; that wind of yours will be excellent as a defense."

"A defense?"

"What's wrong?"

"It's just… I've only ever used my magic for hitting people."

"And now you're going to use it to stop them from hitting us. Though, try not to use it when we're in cover; it could rebound and hit us."

"Okay, I'll try."

"That's all we need."

"And what shall I do?"

"I'm not sure; I don't know what your skills are."

"I am a healer, if that helps."

"Alright, well then you hide between myself and Ricken, healing us when needed. We'll keep them off of you."

"If you are certain."

"It's the only plan we've got; unless either of you have a better one." Silence. "Let's go." I looked around the rock to make sure we were safe, then ran for it. I kept glancing behind me to make sure that Ricken and Maribelle were following. Ricken was casting as much wind as he could, stopping any arrows or opposing magic spells in their tracks. Almost nothing hit us when we were in the open thanks to this, and we managed to get from cover to cover safely. When we were actually in the cover, I managed to clear the way with only minimal injuries, which Maribelle quickly tended to. Using this synergy, we made our way over to allies, finally hiding behind their ranks.

"That was a stupid move." We had just gotten back, and Chrom was already berating me.

"Yeah, I know, but I had to do it."

"I'm glad you did; Maribelle and Ricken may not have lasted much longer on their own, and we may not have gotten to them in time."

"Really?"

"Yeah, actually. Your stupid decision turned out to be the right one."

"Huh. Instinct worked. Weird." Chrom just gave me a hearty laugh, patted me on the back, and went back into the fray. I intended to stay far away from the fight now that my job was done and guilt avoided, but something caught my eye. Robin was off on her own and doing quite well, but I could see her getting tired. Everyone else near me seemed to think that she would be fine on her own, but I couldn't help thinking otherwise. _Well, you're going back into the fight today._ I gave an enormous sigh, then jogged towards her. She didn't seem to notice me, which was probably for the best considering the situation; however, she also didn't notice the man with the enormous axe coming up behind her. My jog turned to a run as his axe slowly moved into a ready position, the man smirking as he prepared to hit her from behind. "Robin!" I yelled at her when close enough.

"Zack?" She finally noticed me, but kept hitting enemies with blasts of lightning.

"Look out!"

"What?" It was now too late for her to move, but not too late for me to do it for her. As the man's axe flew through the air towards her torso, I shoved her out of the way, taking the blow myself. Pain shot through my body as I felt the cold steel first push against, then push through my skin, possibly breaking a rib or two. It was so sudden, and I was so unused to it that I didn't manage to yell out in pain, I just stared at the surprised man who did it, pain overriding most of my other senses. I saw him get taken down by electricity, and heard a muffled yell before I felt my legs go limp, and the ground came up to meet me. Then, everything went black.

 **A/N: Yep, I just did a blackout ending. I wonder how many people are hating me for that… Anyway, if you have any questions, concerns or comments, feel free to PM me or leave a review. Until the next chapter!**


	10. Chapter 10

The first thing I noticed was how quiet it was. _Shouldn't my little sister be up and causing trouble by now?_ Then pain tore through my side, and I remembered where I was. I opened my eyes and saw the canvas of a tent above me. Unable to really move, I merely let out a small groan of annoyance and pain.

"You're up!" A familiar voice came from somewhere in the same tent, making me look around to see who it was. I managed to spot her getting up from a chair, book nearby and worried look on her face. "How are you feeling?" I forced myself to sit up slightly, grinding my teeth against the pain, and attempted a smile.

"Not too great." My voice was quieter than even I expected, making both of our expressions sour slightly. "This really hurts."

"It has to." A small silence followed, neither of us sure what to say. "I'm so sorry." Her apology somewhat startled me; what did she have to be sorry for? Then, without much warning, she came over and hugged me hard, which I would have enjoyed were it not for the fact that she hugged my injury.

"Owowowowowowow!"

"Oh! Sorry!" She quickly backed off, though not too far.

"It's okay; I appreciate the concern." I sat up a bit more, the pain slightly lessening. "But why are you sorry?"

"Well, because I hugged where it hurts."

"No, I mean before that."

"Oh. It was my fault that you got hurt like this. If I had been paying attention, I could have moved."

"No! If anything, it's my fault for not calling to you sooner. If I had been a bit faster, you might have noticed in time."

"That's… ridiculous."

"Well, so's yours." We managed a small laugh. "Ow. That hurts."

"I guess we're both just blame-takers, huh?"

"Guess so." At that moment, I felt myself starting to fade away. "I think I'm going to black out again."

"Oh! I'll go get Maribelle and Lissa!" I was about to say something, but darkness once again took over my vision.

I woke up again awhile later, this time remembering where I was. The pain was significantly less, and I managed to prop myself up on my elbows right away. I looked around the medical tent, searching for any signs of life. I found it in Sumia, half-asleep in the same chair that Robin had been in, also reading a book. It seemed to be a good one, as she was still very deep into it, not really sensing anything else going on. I gave a small cough, startling her out of the trance. She looked up and smiled at me.

"Well, good morning sleepyhead!"

"Hi, Sumia. How long was I out?"

"Well, when you woke up with Robin around, it was about two days. Since your second nap, it's been a few hours."

"Two days? Really? Wow."

"Yep. From what I understand, it's because you aren't used to so much pain and stuff."

"Huh. Interesting. Oh, and speaking of Robin, where is she?"

"I gave her a break from you watch, so she's off having tea with Maribelle and Lissa. She didn't leave your side for a second, you know."

"I kinda figured." Sumia stood up and walked over to me, tripping slightly as she did so. After regaining her composure, she started to do something with the bandages. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, right, you weren't awake then. I'm changing your bandages so you don't get an infection."

"Are you qualified to do that?"

"Yes; I'm training to do some healing myself, and I've been changing your bandages for the past few hours, thank you."

"Well, alright then." It felt a bit strange as she did it, but I didn't mind. When all the bandages were off and she was gathering up more, I got a chance to look at the wound. It was much better than I thought it would be, but it was still a mess. It wasn't bleeding, but the spot had exposed flesh, and I could have sworn I saw a rib. I was quite thankful when Sumia put the bandages back on.

"Aaaannndd done. Now you should be good for… an hour, I'd say."

"Thanks, Sumia." I turned my body and flung my legs off the side, then cringed with pain when my feet hit the floor.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Getting up."

"No, you're not. That thing is still too big; you need to lie back down and rest a bit longer."

"But my feet are already on the floor…" I wiggled my toes to emphasize my point.

"So?!"

"So I'm going to power through this. Look, you said my body wasn't tough enough for this, right?" She nodded. "Then this is the perfect time to toughen it up. I won't do much; just walk around camp for a little while. I'm sure people are worried, and I don't want them to be that way for long."

"I guess you have a point… but, still! You're not fit to go around by yourself!"

"I'll take an escort."

"I guess that works…"

"Then, if you wouldn't mind, could you show me around camp?"

"M-me?!"

"That's what I said."

"T-that's not such a good idea. I'm a clumsy mess, and wouldn't be able to help you much."

"But you're the perfect choice! You're obviously not busy, you have healing skills; not to mention that you're my friend."

"I don't know…"

"Please?" I tried my best puppy-dog face, which I hoped was made even better by the fact that I was hurt.

"Well… if you're sure."

"Yes! Um… I may need help standing."

"Oh! Right; here." She helped pull me up, slowly, by the arms, making sure that I didn't feel too hurt when moving. We smiled at each other, Sumia grabbed me a shirt, then we slowly hobbled out of the tent, all the while Sumia propping me up on her shoulder. We walked around camp like this for a time, seeing all the Shepherds and telling them that I was fine. I was surprised to discover how many of them were actually quite worried for me, and how many more tried to take over for Robin but were turned down. Eventually, we made a circle around the entire camp, excluding five people. We didn't want to disturb the tea party, so we lost three there, and we were just coming up on Chrom when the other missing one, Frederick, barred our way.

"Oh, hi, Frederick. We were just going around camp, telling everyone that I'm up. You and Chrom are the only ones left on our list, so... I'm awake!"

"Indeed, and I am glad to hear it, but I am here concerning another matter."

"Uh-oh."

"This is actually concerning your attire."

"My attire?" Sumia and I exchanged glances before turning back to the knight. "What's wrong with my clothes?"

"Quite the contrary, actually. That red sweater, as you call it, has been fixed, but not by any of our hands. I had intended to sew it back together for you as thanks for saving our tactician, but when I went to do it, the tear it had was already fixed." Frederick took his hands out from behind his back, revealing my sweater, looking as new as the day I got it. It wasn't even dirty. "I wish to inquire as to how this came to be."

"I don't know. That's really, really strange. Back home, nothing was able to instantly repair torn clothing, and I haven't seen stuff like that here." I reached out and took it, carefully inspecting the red material for any signs of tampering, but found none.

"Are you sure someone didn't fix it before you got to it?" Sumia seemed just as confused as me.

"Certain. When I first came and fetched it, it still had a large hole and was covered in blood. I left it in my tent for no less than five minutes, and when I came back it was clean and repaired."

"That's… incredible." I put it back on, now seriously appreciating the garment. I rolled the sleeves up to just behind my elbows, a position that feels surprisingly comfortable. "Thanks for telling me, Frederick. Oh, and thanks for trying to fix it in the first place."

"Not a problem." He gave me a smile before his expression returned to its usual serious state. "I do recommend you keep an eye on the things you brought with you; I suspect this discovery has something to do with that. Now, if you two will excuse me, I have some posters to put up. Miss Lissa helped me design them, and I am certain that they will please Lord Chrom." He turned on his heel and strode off in the direction of some of the tents.

"That's amazing; I wish I had clothes like that."

"I don't think red suits you all that well."

"You know what I mean!"

"Still, I'm very curious as to how this happened."

"You're not the only one."

"Ah, Zack! You're up!" Chrom came walking over, immediately flustering Sumia. I smiled at both her reaction and Chrom's greeting.

"Hi, Chrom. We were just coming to see you, actually."

"How are you feeling, then? Much better, I assume."

"Yeah, I'm doing better; mostly thanks to Sumia, actually. She's been helping me out all day, and I couldn't be more grateful." She blushed slightly, giving me a very subtle look of anger.

"Is that so? Well, Sumia, we're all glad that you could be of such help."

"Th-thank you, captain."

"Oh! That's right; Sumia, I heard that something was up with your pegasus. I'm afraid that she's gone wild again."

"Oh, no! I have to go help her!" She took one step, then abruptly stopped and turned back to look at me.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Besides, if I need it, I'm sure Chrom will be willing to give me a hand."

"I'll look after him for you, Sumia. Don't worry." She nodded and ran off to stop her rampaging steed. Chrom then turned to me, still smiling. "I really am glad that you're on your feet again."

"Thanks."

"That being said, I have a favour to ask."

"Wow, already? What is it?"

"I need to gather everyone for a meeting, but I can't cover the whole camp by myself. I would ask Frederick, but for once I can't find him."

"Don't know how much help I can be with that, but I'll try."

"All I need you to do is go to Maribelle's tent and fetch those three. Last time I tried, I ended up with parasol bruises and tea on my favourite shirt."

"Um…"

"Great, thank you." He walked off as quickly as he could; I sighed.

"Thanks for listening to my answer. May as well do it. Which way was her tent again?" I took off at a leisurely pace, not wanting to strain myself. I had to hold my injury the whole way because of the pain, but I still managed to make it. As I approached the tent, I heard the unmistakable sound of Maribelle's 'noble' voice.

"...Well, that's your choice, dear. You have freedom to decide that, just like my dear Lissa."

"Really, Maribelle?! You're finally going to let me choose?!"

"Dearest, I have always allowed you to choose."

"No, you've just interrogated a bunch of men and made them run away before I even got to meet them! I have a say in the matter, you know!"

"Sounds like you have someone in mind. Care to tell?"

"Robin!"

"What? I just poured my heart out to you guys, so I'd like to at least know _your_ crush."

"Well…"

"Yeah, Lissa," I made all three of them jump, sending tea and Lissa's teacup flying around the tent, "who _is_ your crush?"

"Zack?!" She went very red-faced, which vanished almost instantly when she realized I was up. "Hey, you're not supposed to be up!"

"Astute observation, darling. What are you doing out of the infirmary?"

"Getting you three. Chrom's calling a meeting, and he wants everyone there."

"So my brother woke you just to get us?"

"No, I was walking around camp with Sumia when he asked me."

"Well, why were you up in the first place?!"

"Because I wanted to be."

"Are you kidding me?!"

"...None of us have time for this. Chrom's waiting, but he probably won't be patient much longer."

"Unfortunately, dear, he's right. I've never known your brother to be a patient man."

"Ugh. Fine. But you'd better get straight to bed after this!"

"Don't worry, I will." I moved aside to let Lissa and Maribelle walk past, and was about to follow suit when Robin finally spoke up.

"Zack?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure." _Oh, no. 'Can I talk to you' is never good._

"So…" She put her teacup on the table in the middle of Maribelle's tent, and proceeded to uncomfortably stare at me. "...You've been avoiding me."

"Um…"

"Care to explain?"

"I've… Uh…" _I know it's not your style, but just lie._ "I've been a bit preoccupied."

"With what?"

"Mostly trying to learn more about the 'Outrealm Gate' Miriel told me about." _Eh. Half-truth works._ "Besides, you've been avoiding me, too!"

"I have my reasons."

"Oh, yeah? Would _you_ care to explain?"

"Well…" her cheeks became flushed, making me become very suspicious. "Sumia told me what you said." I was certain the same tint started peppering my face, and I gave a loud sigh.

"Of course she did."

"So… you like me?"

"W-well…"

"Because I've been thinking, and… I might feel the same way."

"Been thinking?"

"Y-yeah. When you took that axe for me, I realized just how scared I was of losing you."

"Uh… wow." _Hey, wait!_ "Hang on, I thought you liked me before that!"

"What?"

"Yeah; when you kissed me on the cheek! I thought you liked me then!"

"No, that was just the best thank-you I could think of."

"R...really?"

"Yeah, sorry."

"Well, now I feel like an idiot."

"No, don't!" She quickly got up and walked over to me. "There's no need. I… I guess I did like you at that point… a little."

"You don't need to try and make me feel better, you know."

"But I want to, especially if…" The tint deepened, "if we're going to try this." I was stunned.

"Did… did Sumia not tell you everything?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I can't try a relationship with anyone because I could be going home at literally any point. I don't want to just up and leave someone like that!"

"Oh, that part. I don't really care."

"Y… you what?"

"I don't care about that. I feel relaxed whenever I'm around you, and I don't want to have to give that up. So, even if you go back someday, I still want to try it."

"But-"

"We'll talk more about it later." She opened the tent flap and gave me a mischievous smile. "There's a meeting we have to get to." She left, leaving me in quite the confused state. _Did she just… strongarm me?_ I sighed.

"Oh, well. Like they say, better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, right? May as well attempt something new while I'm here. Who knows; could work out for the best." At that point, I started feeling woozy again, and decided to get to the meeting in an attempt to get through it faster. Things had gotten a bit more complicated.

 **A/N: Told you it was coming! This chapter was a bit difficult to write towards the end, having never been in a situation even remotely similar to that myself. Have I mentioned that that's part of the reason why I decided to write this? Anyway, if you have any questions, concerns or comments, feel free to review or PM. Until the next chapter!**


	11. Chapter 11

The meeting felt like a saving grace. Our little band of soldiers was to be split up; it seemed that there was trouble in small towns a little ways from the capital. Most of the force was going to go and help, while a small portion of us; being myself, Maribelle, Miriel, Virion, Vaike and Emmeryn, including her royal guard. I was kind of looking forward to more time by myself here; I could get to know their customs better, explore the city, find out if my other clothes behaved like my sweater, heal, and just think things through. Thankfully, there was enough time to do all of that, but not as much as I would like. The short trip back provided some thinking and healing time, though the latter was filled with a bit too much Maribelle. She must have wanted to repay a debt that didn't need repaying.

When we did arrive at Ylisstol, the downtime was appreciated by all. Miriel went into what I liked to call 'study hibernation' where she disappeared into her room, not to be seen for days; Vaike challenged as many people as he could to duels; Virion flirted with just about every woman he came across; Maribelle relaxed slightly; and I managed to explore the city. The first place I went to find was an instrument shop, looking for a guitar. I was distraught to find out that this world didn't have my instrument, which was soon rectified when the store owner told me he could make one… so long as I could give him a basic plan. I crudely drew one up, and within an astounding three days, I had a new acoustic guitar; though I had to paint it myself. And had to make the pick. When not waiting for my new guitar or failing at making a pick for it, I spent a lot of time in the library, trying to read up on the Outrealm Gate. There was surprisingly little on it despite the number of books that mentioned how things happened 'in an Outrealm'. It was starting to feel like a fairytale. That is, until everyone came back.

About a week and a half after we got back to Ylisstol, I was busy trying, again, to make a pick in my room, when there was a knock at the door.

"Yes?" It opened to reveal the soldier that had been practically assigned to me standing at attention.

"I have a message for you, sir!" I sighed.

"What did I tell you about the salute?"

"Sorry, sir!"

"It's okay; your own force of habit, I suppose. What's the message?"

"The Shepherds have returned to Ylisstol, and are arriving at the palace as we speak, sir!"

"That's great! I'll be down in a minute."

"Sir!" He left the room, though probably not too far. I left what may have been my best attempt yet, which was still pretty far off, and charged through the halls. I made my way around the twists and turns of the enormous building's many hallways, until I arrived at the front door. Chrom was the first one in, waving to me as he entered the building. He was followed by every remaining Shepherd, including two new people: a boy with a pot on his head, presumably some kind of farm boy; and a girl with bright red hair tied into a ponytail. She was carrying all kinds of goods with her, trying to pawn a tome off on-

"Robin," Chrom turned back to face her, freeing her from the saleswoman, "I think someone's waiting for you." _What?! Did she tell him about our thing that isn't even officially a thing yet?_ He gestured to me. Robin looked, blushed, then walked over.

"Feeling better?"

"Huh? Oh, the axe. Still a bit sore, but Maribelle works some mean magic."

"Good." She blushed again. "We need to talk, right?"

"Y-yeah. Hey, why don't I show you my new instrument while we do? Gotta be careful, though; paint's still drying."

"Sure." We walked in almost complete silence toward the courtyard, both of us trying to think of something to say. "So, um…" She spoke up first. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For trying to make you go into something that you didn't really want to."

"It's-"

"If you want to call it off, then we can never speak of it again."

"Look, it's okay. I've been thinking about it a lot and… I'm willing."

"You are?"

"I have no idea how long I'm going to be here; it could be the next few days or the rest of my life, and I don't want to spend any of that by myself. If you want to be there, then I'm not going to resist."

"You sure?"

"I said I gave it a lot of thought, didn't I? Plus, I've never been asked out before."

"You haven't?"

"Nope. Actually, that's a point: why do you like me?"

"What?"

"I'm an ugly, lanky, weak nerd who doesn't even belong here; what is there to like?"

"Well… you're caring, you have a good sense of humor, despite what you think you're not weak… and you did take an axe for me."

"You've done the same for me."

"An arrow to the shoulder doesn't exactly equal an axe to the chest!"

"Ye-"

"Look, that's enough talk of 'why'; now we just need to focus on the 'how'." I sighed. "Now, what's this new instrument of yours?"

"Right this way." I gestured to the courtyard entrance, pushing aside my doubts. "It's leaning up against the closest tree. Are you very interested in music, then?"

"A bit. Oh, neat!" Robin leaned down to inspect the unstrung guitar leaning up against the tree. I had managed to find a darkened cyan to paint the instrument with, however terribly. "So how do you play it?"

"Well, I haven't strung it yet, but when I do I'll show you. You're really that interested in music?"

"I'd like to give it a try, yes." Just then she gave a huge yawn. "Especially if you're into it."

"You sound tired."

"A little."

"Then go take a nap. We'd all be glad to see a refreshed Robin as opposed to a drowsy one."

"Well…"

"If we're going to be dating, trust is imperative, right? So, you trust me when I say you need a nap."

"Okay." To my utter surprise, she got up and gave me a quick hug before waving and walking out of the courtyard.

"Hugger. Okay." I followed her example, leaving the courtyard to go to my room and relax; though my relaxing involved trying to make a pick.

Before I knew it, night had come. When I noticed it seemed to be the right time to go and check if the paint was dry. I wasn't exactly expecting Chrom to be there, though. The blue-haired man was merely standing there, staring up at the night sky. I was about to say something when Robin walked in on the other side, beating me to the punch.

"Chrom? What are you doing out so late?"

"And stealing my thing, no less."

"Oh. Hello Robin; Zack. Stealing your thing?"

"Yeah; staring up at the stars."

"I'm just… duelling with some unpleasant thoughts… Tomorrow we leave for Regna Ferox again to request additional soldiers… but there's something I should tell you two first. Not everything Gangrel said was a lie. My father waged a war with them that was not kind to either side. Commonfolk were conscripted and sent to their deaths on our side, leaving nobody to feed the country. The kingdom started collapsing, and Plegia ingrained hatred of us into their citizens until the war ended fifteen years ago with my father's death. I was only young, so I didn't realize the full effects… but Emmeryn did. She was only ten when our father passed, and all the blame was shifted to her. Our own people started throwing insults and stones… she still has scars."

"That must have been hard."

"No kidding…"

"Honestly, I don't know how she does it. She's always hidden her pain under a smile; reached out a helping hand to those who mocked and shamed her; brought soldiers home; ended the war. And when it was all over, and the people 'forgave' her? She never resented them for it. She represents everything good in this kingdom; the things worth protecting. She IS peace. But so many would take advantage of her… people like Gangrel. She would never order him killed, and I wouldn't want her to. I may have to be death's messenger for all the lives that need saving…"

"Well spoken, sir." A masked figure emerged from the shadows.

"Marth…"

"Marth?!" _Is this girl following us around, or what?_

"Good evening to you all."

"How did you get here?"

"Through the cleft in the castle wall, behind the maple grove."

"There? But how would you… ugh."

"Would this happen to be the same place Lissa told you to go fix, Chrom?" Robin gave him a smirk.

"Yes…"

"I did not come here for idle chat; I came with a warning."

"Warning?"

"The Exalt's life is in danger."

"Emm? How? She's surrounded by guards at all hours of the day."

"What if…" Marth took a deep breath, "what if I told you I have seen the future? Would you believe me? A future where Emmeryn is killed. Here. Tonight."

"What, you think me a fool? How could I believe such a claim?"

"He believes that I'm from a different world, yet he can't accept psychics or time travel?" I whispered under my breath.

"I expected as much. Allow me to prove it." Marth drew her sword, prompting Chrom to place a hand on his own. "I'm about to save your life… from him." An assassin leapt out of the bushes, making me jump. Marth sidestepped him and sliced her sword down his back, killing him. She stood up straight and looked at Chrom. "I trust this proof will suffice?"

"Yeah…" Chrom seemed to be in disbelief despite his statement. Just then, another assassin came down from the tree, startling Marth. The assassin swung his sword at Marth, who stepped back in time to avoid being hit but slipped on the previous assassin's sword, allowing her mask to be sliced in half. Chrom ran up and slashed the assassin across the chest, ending his life. Chrom turned to look at her, disbelief still on his face.

"You… you're a woman?"

"And quite the actress, too. Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't figure it out sooner."

"I thought it was quite obvious." Everyone looked at me. "What? I did." A small explosion came from within the palace, calling us to action. We all ran to the throne room only to see a multitude of assassins and mages lining the halls.

"Emm!"

"Chrom!" Emmeryn poked her head out of her room, looking very distressed. "Take Lissa and flee while you still have time!"

"No! We're not leaving; just stay where you are and we'll fend them off!"

"They should scatter if we defeat their leader." Robin turned to me. "Go stay with Emmeryn; keep her safe."

"On it." I ran into her room, managing to keep a smile on my face. "Don't worry; it'll be over soon."

"I hope so." We stood in relative silence for the next few minutes, the sounds of battle faintly echoing around the room. At some point, my wound started acting up again, and I had to clutch my side. "Are you alright?"

"I'm… fine. It's not that bad." She raised an eyebrow at me.

"Are you certain?"

"Ye-" I was interrupted by an orange-haired man with a lollipop in his mouth arriving at the door. I immediately went into my stance, ready to fight. He just smirked.

"Calm down, kid; I'm not here to fight."

"Why should I believe you?"

"Blue paid me off; I'm here to help." He pulled out an unmistakable bag of Lissa's homemade candy. "Looks like you could use it."

"Blue?"

"Yeah, guy with blue hair, has a fancy sword?"

"...You mean Chrom?"

"Yep."

"Then why didn't-" I was interrupted yet again by someone at the door, this time an assassin. A swift kick by me and a slice from the newcomer stopped him.

"Not bad, kid."

"Thanks. And it's not kid; it's Zack."

"Nice to meet you. Name's Gaius."

"Pardon me," we both turned to face a concerned Emmeryn, "but how is Chrom doing?"

"And you must be the queen or whatever." Gaius smiled and gave a small mock bow. "Well, your highness, last I saw he was doing alright. The other guys running the other way was a good sign." Emmeryn gave a small sigh of relief.

"That is… calming to hear."

"Funny way of wording it, but sure." He turned back to me. "So you were the only one left here to guard her?"

"Yeah…?"

"I might be new, but I can think of several reasons why that's a stupid idea."

"What's that supp-"

"Emm," a blue-haired individual appeared at the door, sweat covering his face. "There's someone here you should meet." I turned to look at Emmeryn, who took a deep breath, smiled, and stepped out the door in Chrom's wake.

"Guess the fighting's done." The lollipop in Gaius' mouth changed sides as he walked to the door. "That was fast." He followed them out, leaving me alone in Emmeryn's room. _Well, today sure took a turn._ I walked out and almost collided with Stahl, who merely smiled at me.

"Oh! Hey, Stahl."

"Perfect; just the man I was looking for."

"R...really?"

"Yeah. Lissa told me that you might want to meet Panne."

"Who?"

"Panne; she showed up during our fight. Emmeryn's talking to her right now." Raising and eyebrow, I followed Stahl to the meeting of Emmeryn and… woman? There was something very off about the figure standing not too far from the Exalt. She had very disjointed armour, as if it was meant to stretch out much farther than her somewhat spindly frame. She was also extremely hairy, often filling up so much room that it looked more like brown fur. Then my eyes fell on her strangest feature: her ears. Or, rather, ear-like appendages. She had two enormous rabbit-like ears sticking out of the top of her head. And since her conversation had seemingly ended between her and Emmeryn, she was staring at me staring at her.

"You." Our eyes were locked, making me feel very uncomfortable. "Why do you look at me like that?"

"S-sorry. Didn't mean to stare. It's just… I've never seen anyone quite like you."

"I am not surprised. Your kind drove mine to near extinction."

"...Oh. Sorry about that."

"Do not apologize. Words cannot mend the destruction your people have brought upon mine." _I'll tell her later._ "However, your leader's words have convinced me that there are still some of you worth saving. I am joining your quest."

"Um… great!" I turned to Stahl and lowered my voice to a whisper. "Why did Lissa want me to meet her?"

"Oh! Guess I forgot to mention it. She can turn into an enormous rabbit."

"Yep!" Lissa had appeared from out of nowhere, making both me and Stahl jump. "It's amazing!"

"That... actually sounds pretty awesome."

"You got that right!" A sly smile crossed her face. _Oh, no. I dread that look._ "So… I've been hearing some rumours."

"Hearing them or spreading them?"

"Little bit of both."

"Of course. And these rumours would be…?"

"That you and Robin are a thing now. Are they true?!" I took a deep breath.

"Dunno."

"Wh… what?"

"I'm not sure. You'll have to ask Robin."

"Wh… bu…"

"Also, do you know how much time I've spent with Maribelle recently? Man, does she have some _interesting_ things to talk about; most of them centering around you." Lissa's face turned from a somewhat confident smirk to a look of absolute horror, eyes darting from me to Stahl and back again. "She seems to be on the lookout for potential suitors for you. She said that there are a few people she had in mind, one of them being a man in gr- mmmph." Lissa had shoved her hand over my mouth, giving me a death stare. I smiled under her grip, satisfied at a job well done.

"Well, she's certainly full of surprises." Chrom walked in, gave our strange scene nothing more than an odd look, and turned to Emmeryn. "And you need to get ready."

"Ready?"

"Emm, you can't stay here! This attack was made by Plegians, I'm sure of it, and there's nothing that's going to stop them trying again."

"What would you have me do, then? Leave and let my citizens go undefended? We are on the borders of war, Chrom. The people must know their Exalt stands with them."

"But if you don't come with us to Ferox, you might die here! If something like that happens to you, what then?"

"Your Grace," Frederick stepped forward, "perhaps you might consider relocating to the Eastern Palace for the time being? The other kingdoms would know nothing of it, and the people would still know you are with them."

"Yes, Emm; at least that."

"...Hm. Very well."

"Thank you. We'll give you an escort before going north to the border." With that, most of the Shepherds, and Emmeryn, dispersed, leaving myself, Lissa, and Robin standing alone in the hall.

"Well… that happened." I began to move too, wanting to get at least one string on my guitar before bed. As I passed by Robin, I quickly whispered to her. "Hey, you might get some trouble from Lissa. Don't know what you want to do about it, but I'm behind you whatever you decide." She gave a nod, and I saw the briefest smile cross her face. "Well, goodnight you two."

"'Night!"

"Goodnight." With that I was off to my room, detouring to the courtyard along the way. Things were going… differently. But it seemed like a good kind of different.

 **A/N: Now we can really get the ball rolling! Some great character interactions have been opened up, ideas are flowing, and I'm having a lot of fun. Oh, and before I forget, I have to mention that updates will probably start to become more infrequent because I've caught up to where I'm writing and have some new responsibilities. I'll still try to be regular, but I can't guarantee anything. With that said, if you have any questions, concerns or comments, feel free to give me a review or PM. Until the next chapter!**


	12. Chapter 12

I was actually starting to get used to all the walking. I knew that the sum total would still be complain-worthy, but it was getting better. In fact-

"What're you doing, kid?" I looked up to see Sully looking down at me from her horse, a puzzled smile on her face.

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"That weird thing with your hands."

"Oh! Sorry, I must have been hearing a tune."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, I get music stuck in my head then kinda… play it out with my hands."

"Okay…"

"Speaking of music…" Ahead of me was the open back of a caravan, a few figures seated inside. One of them took my interest as she was getting worryingly close to something of mine. "Lissa; stop right there!" Her hand jumped back. "I don't want you touching the strings on that!"

"Aw, come on! That's how you're supposed to play it, right?"

"Yes, but I only just tuned it, which is very hard to do by ear, so only people who know how to play it are allowed to touch it."

"Pssh! How hard can it be?" Her hand moved towards the dark cyan instrument again.

"I said no!"

"Oh, fine. But… if you don't want anyone else to play it, can you play it for us?!"

"Hm… let me think about no."

"Why not?"

"First of all, it's pretty hard to play while moving and without a strap; second, I have no idea what to play, and third, I just don't want to." I got a glare of angry disappointment from Lissa and a small chuckle from Sully. Deciding that this was the opportune moment to get out of there, I slowed down to catch up with the caravan behind me. In the front seat was Robin, nose deep in one of the thickest books I had ever seen. "Good dictionary?" She didn't even move. I climbed up into the seat next to her with a bit of a bump, which managed to snap her out of it. She looked at me and smiled.

"Hey there."

"Glad you finally noticed me."

"Oh! Sorry."

"It's alright; I tend to do the same thing. So, what book are you reading?"

"It's a book of historical battles; I'm hoping to learn from their tactics."

"... Really?"

"What?"

"I get that you're the strategist and all, but couldn't you read something more fun?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean why don't you read an adventure, or a comedy; or both!"

"I do read those… just not often."

"Why not?"

"Too busy. There's a lot of paperwork and study required for my position that I can't afford to skip out on. Even when I do get a break, it's usually interrupted by training or a fight."

"Well, we're not doing either of those right now."

"No… I guess not…"

"I can be a stick-in-the-mud from time-to-time too," a glare, "but there's always time for a break. At least read something fun!" She sighed, folded the corner of the page, and closed her book.

"Alright. I suppose I do need to slow down a bit."

"There ya go!" She gave me a smile, which I returned.

"So, what would you suggest?"

"Let's see… hm, no crosswords or word searches… I'm guessing you wouldn't be too into 'I Spy'... Twenty Questions seems more your style, but I'm not feeling it at the moment… Huh. I'm a bit out of ideas." I scanned the area, searching for any signs of something to do. My eyes landed on my guitar in the back of the caravan in front of us, and I got an idea. "Say, we could sing something!"

"Um… no."

"Hey, it's either we go with my singing idea, or you think of something else." She was silent for a moment, hand on her chin in thought. Her eyes then darted over to me, a small glimmer of curiosity in them. She brushed a stray strand of purple hair out of her way, then stared just above my head.

"Actually, I've been wondering something; why do you always wear that hat?"

"Huh?" She reached up and pulled the black-and-red cap farther into my view.

"You've almost always got it on; why?"

"Well," I lightly swept her hand away and readjusted my hat, "it's lucky."

"Lucky, huh?"

"That and it reminds me of home. But yeah, lucky."

"And what makes it lucky?"

"Actually, I used to have a different lucky hat. It was all red, and I absolutely loved the thing. But while my grandparents and I were on a camping trip one summer, it got lost. I don't even know how; one minute it was sitting in the car, and the next it was just gone! I was a bit downcast for most of the trip home, until we stopped at a souvenir shop. This hat was inside, and I've had it ever since. Thinking about it, it's not _really_ a lucky hat, but it does make me feel great, and I gave it the 'lucky hat' moniker."

"Interesting story, if a bit short."

"What, were you expecting a Shakespearean play? It's a hat that I like, and that's about it."

"Shakespearean?"

"Shakespeare was the name of a famous playwright back home."

"Oh."

"Alright, now I've got a question of my own."

"Ask away."

"Similar kind of thing; how about that robe of yours? I've only seen you without it the once, and that was to go swimming."

"I… I'm not sure. Chrom found me with it on, and I never feel like taking it off. I feel… I feel connected to it somehow; like it's a treasured memory that's just out of reach. I always have it because it's the only connection I have to a life I can't remember." We sat in silence for a few moments. _I forget that she has amnesia. Idiot!_ "That," her smile came back, "and it's really comfortable."

"Well, I'm glad."

"Um…"

"I meant about the comfortable part! Although, if you ever do need consolation about… anything, I'm here for you."

"Thank you."

"It's what I do. Speaking of which, what did you tell Lissa?"

"A lot, actually. I figured we should go with a 'don't ask, don't tell' kind of thing, but she asked so many questions." I was giving her a half-smile. "What?"

"Please don't refer to it as that. It means something _completely_ different where I come from."

"Um… okay."

"Thanks."

"Anyway, I told her that we are indeed together, along with a few other things."

"Other things?"

"You'll find out eventually."

"Not now?"

"Nope."

"Well… I guess I can wait. Patience is a virtue."

"Good."

"Okay!" A shout from Chrom ended the conversation. "We'll have to make camp here tonight! We should be going through the pass tomorrow, which would be the best place for an ambush! Be ready for it!"

"Well, looks like break time's over." Robin began to get down from her seat. "Want any help with your tent?"

"No, thank you." We shared a smile, and she went off to fetch her tent. "Thanks, Chrom; it's not like I was enjoying talking with her or anything."

"Geez, upset much?" I spun around to see Lissa grinning from ear to ear. "From what I hear, you'll have _plenty_ of time to talk to her later."

"Not exactly the point. Oh, and abou-"

"Yeah, yeah; I won't talk. Robin told me you guys are doing a 'don't ask don't tell' kind of thing."

"Can you people _please_ stop calling it that?"

"Don't worry; I can keep my mouth shut when I want. But," her smile widened, "that doesn't mean I'm not up for teasing!"

"Goes both ways, you know." She didn't appear to be listening as she skipped off to set up her own tent. "Time to do the same, I suppose."

Nobody felt it worthwhile to set up the mess tent that night, so we found ourselves eating around a large campfire, Exalt included. I mostly sat back and ate as the rest of the company horsed around, making me chuckle. I did manage to strike up conversations with Gaius and Sumia, but they didn't last all too long. Eventually, stomach full and not feeling too needed, I got up to take a little walk. I stopped by my tent and grabbed my guitar and its decent pick before heading off to a small clearing. I found a nice spot on the cool evening grass, sat down, and gave a singular strum.

"That sounds about right. But just to be sure..." I tested it a bit more by playing a few random chords, and everything sounded in order. "Excellent. Now, what to practice? Or, maybe I could make something up. Hm…" I started to play, for real this time, making up a beat along with several chords. There were a few sour notes, but it was starting to sound pretty good. However, progress halted on my new song when a loud crack came from the woods behind me. "Come to hear the music?"

"No, but I was enjoying it." I turned to see Robin walking into the small clearing, who came and sat down next to me.

"It wasn't that good. I messed up quite a few chords."

"I liked it."

"That's kind of you, but I know when something isn't very good."

"I'm being serious!"

"O-oh. Well, thanks." We sat in silence for a moment, staring at the green of the darkening sky.

"Hey, if you were just coming out here to play that, then why didn't you stay around the fire? I'm sure everyone would have loved to have heard you play something."

"I'm a bit… shy when it comes to showing off."

"But that wouldn't be showing off."

"It feels like it." She gave a small chuckle.

"Never knew you were so shy."

"Yeah, nerves tend to make me a better people person."

"Huh."

"You're not the only one who finds it weird."

"Well… would you have a problem playing for me?"

"Um… I guess not. Any requests?"

"Nope."

"I'll just play one of my favourites then. It's a bit short, and it's supposed to be played on an ocarina, and-"

"Stop talking and play the song."

"Okay, okay." I began playing the small tune, keeping in time by tapping my foot and listening to the full song in my head. I managed to play it almost perfectly; probably the pressure of playing for someone. At the end of it, I turned to look at Robin, who looked like she had just come out of some kind of trance. "So, did you like it?"

"It was so… soothing. And you say it's supposed to sound better on a different instrument?"

"Yep. It's called 'Lugia's Song', and it's meant to be played on an ocarina. I actually wouldn't mind learning how to play one of those…"

"Play it again!"

"You liked it that much, huh?"

"Indeed I did." I grinned, then went and played the song again. Not long into it, I heard her chuckle. "Hard to imagine that the man who took an axe for me's afraid of a little spotlight."

"Well," I had to stop and turn to face her, "he is."

"Good."

"Good?"

"Everyone has to be afraid of _something_ , right? I'm just glad it's not something silly."

"I don't know, stagefright is pretty silly."

"Not as silly as being afraid of a small bug."

"Good point."

"Ooh, hey, since you've stopped, there's something I have to go get. Can you hold on for a minute?"

"I think I'll survive." She smiled, got up, and walked back towards camp, leaving me alone with my guitar. I looked up to the foreign constellations, and grinned to myself. "I actually have a girlfriend." I sat and reveled in this thought for quite some time, occasionally plucking at a string or two. Eventually, Robin returned carrying enough paper to rival a forest.

"Okay, I'm back."

"Along with every piece of paper in camp! What are you doing with all that?"

"I thought I'd do some work while out here. You don't mind, do you?"

"So long as you can actually manage to do work out here. Do you have a board or something you can write on?" She took a flat piece of wood out that was hidden amongst the stack of paper, and waved it proudly. "Okay then. Just to warn you, it may not sound the best bec-"

"It doesn't matter. I just want to hear what you can do." She started to fan out the papers as I stared at her with the smallest amount of incredulity. _Wow. She's very… to the point, isn't she? And she doesn't even care about how bad I play, she just wants to hear what I can play. Wow._ I grinned once again, then returned my attention to the instrument in my hands. We stayed like that for a little while; me trying again and again to come up with a song, and Robin working on her tactical papers, tapping her fingers along with or swaying to the beat every now and again. The light chatter we could hear from camp had been long gone by the time I managed to put the guitar down. When I did, Robin slowly looked up at me, her eyes almost glazed over from either boredom or fatigue. "What… what are you doing?"

"Stopping."

"Why?"

"I'm thinking about heading back soon. We'll both need some sleep if we want to be helpful tomorrow."

"Both? Excuse me, but I'm not… um… what's the word?"

"Tired?"

"Yeah, tired. I'm not… that…" Her eyelids drooped a little bit before she gave an enormous yawn.

"Uh-huh."

"Okay, maybe I am. Just a little."

"Well then, time to pack up." She sighed.

"Alright, fine." She started trying to clean up, but managed to just make even more of a mess with her exhausted flailing. After a second or two, she let out a frustrated groan and sat back on her heels, trying to look at me but just looking past me instead. "I'll just leave it 'til tomorrow."

"You know, you could just ask for my help."

"Such a gentleman."

"So is that a no?"

"I appreciate the offer, but I'd rather just leave it. Besides, I don't think I could handle walking back to my tent."

"...Does that mean you're just going to stay out here tonight?"

"I guess."

"By yourself?"

"Yes."

"At night? Alone? So far from camp? With deadly beasts potentially patrolling the nearby woods?"

"I'm starting to see your point." She looked down in what I presumed to be tired thought, violet hair obscuring any chance I had at seeing her face. A few moments later, her head snapped back up, the twinkle of an idea in her eyes. "Why don't you stay with me?"

"Wh…?!"

"Nonononono, nothing like that!"

"Thank Gods."

"I just mean that the two of us camp out under the stars tonight. I know I'm not the only tired one." Rubbing an eye, I was in agreement. We couldn't be trusted to walk back to camp; we might get lost with how tired we were.

"You have a point."

"I know." She haphazardly brushed all of her maps and writing tools into a pile less organized than an elementary school play. She tried to stand up again, failed, and decided to just crawl near me and flop onto her back. "Now lie down and go to sleep."

"Yes, ma'm!" I gave a mock salute and followed in her footsteps, ending up staring at the full moon above. At that moment, for less than a millisecond, I felt glad that I might never be able to go home. I was lying under the stars, an amazing and beautiful woman nearby, and no societal pressure to speak of. I immediately felt guilty for thinking that, knowing that my friends and family back home were probably out of their minds with worry. I tilted my head to the left and saw Robin sound asleep, the moon highlighting her features. _Worrying can wait until later._ I closed my eyes, and instantly fell into a somehow uncomfortable yet satisfying sleep.

 **A/N: Well, if you couldn't tell, this chapter was entirely fluff. It's okay though; it's something I wanted to write and it better establishes the kind of relationship our two mains have. So, if you enjoyed, or even if you didn't, feel free to review or PM with any questions, concerns, or comments. Speaking of which, I need to ask for more feedback! Believe it or not, I'm not just writing this for my own enjoyment (although it is really fun), I'm trying to improve my writing skills! If you have any criticisms and/or suggestions as to how to fix problems, I'd very much like to know. Until the next chapter!**


	13. Chapter 13

A light poke on my cheek woke me up. I slowly opened my eyes to see a blurry Lissa smiling down at me, the rising sun shining off her twin ponytails and nearly blinding me.

"Looks like you had a fun night!" She was half-whispering, which I had to think about for a minute before realizing why. There was a light pressure on my shoulder, and I turned to see Robin's arm draped over it, the violet-haired tactician still fast asleep. I gave a small groan, then looked back up at Lissa.

"Nothing happened," I said in a quiet, surprisingly gravely voice. "I was playing guitar and she was doing a bit of strategizing, it got too late, and we decided to just sleep here."

"Uh-huh." Something told me she wasn't convinced. "Anyway, time to get moving. We've still got a _loooooooooonnnnnggg_ way to go." Lissa managed to restrain herself from noisily skipping off and tiptoed her way through the grass and back to camp. I heard rustling beside me, and felt the pressure on my shoulder lessen slightly.

"Did you catch that?"

"Mmm-hmm." To my surprise, her arm didn't go away; instead it moved farther across my chest. "Chrom can wait a few minutes."

"Heh, alright." Despite my calm demeanour, my heart was racing. I had never been in a place quite like this; physical contact with girls was very foreign to me, especially contact as… intimate as this. I was ecstatic… and yet very concerned. It may have just been me, but it felt like she had gotten attached to me way too quickly. It was… weird. After a few minutes of lying there letting the sun rise, Robin eventually sat up and yawned.

"Mmmm, okay. Time to get moving; don't want to lose my job, after all."

"Oh, yeah. I suppose being tactician really _is_ your job. Funny how I never really thought of that." _Better not mention that funny feeling. After all, it's probably just me._

"You mind helping me clean up these maps?"

"No problem." I levered myself up and started stacking papers, pushing the worrying thoughts to the back of my mind.

Turns out, we needed those plans that day. On our way through the small pass in the mountains towards the secondary palace, we got ambushed. The hierarch we had brought with us had been bribed to sell us out to the Plegians, and got killed by them for his actions. Seeing that happen made me both gag and affirm that I was on the side worth fighting for. I was told to stay back as everyone else handled the small battalion that was now between our party and its destination; Ricken, Lissa and myself were now the last line of defense against any threat to our supplies, transport, and Exalt. However, I wasn't too confident, considering they had…

"Dragons. Those guys. Were riding. Dragons!" I was still fanboying about it as the three of us stood as alert as we could be near one of the caravans. For once I actually had a sword in my hand, as Stahl had recently deemed me worthy of using one in battle. Unfortunately, I was waving it around like a madman as that day signified the realization of so many of my fantasies. "I mean, I know that they're technically Wyverns because of their smaller size and lack of forelegs, but those two are practically the same thing!"

"Ugh, we know! You've talked about it, like, a million times!" Lissa was a bit more calm than I was, amazingly, but I could still tell that she was just the tiniest bit excited about it… or I just really, really wanted her to be. At that moment, it was nearly impossible to differentiate between fantasy and reality.

"And he managed to do that in just a few minutes! That's some skill." Ricken wasn't quite on my level of excitement, but he did seem a little bit giddy; after all, it was also his first time seeing one of them up close.

"Seriously, you guys have absolutely _no_ idea how incredibly excited I am! Back home, dragons, wyverns, beast-people and magic were all just stories; fairy tales and legends designed to teach kids lessons. But here, they're all real, and I've just seen the, in my opinion, best mythical creature to ever exist: the dragon! They're just so cool and awesome and I want one of my own!" It was at that point that I noticed a lack of… something. I looked around to try and figure out what it was, and discovered that I was no longer holding a sword. In my excitement, I had managed to fling it quite a ways away without even noticing. Glad that it didn't hurt anyone, I took a few deep breaths to calm myself down.

"...Feel better?" Lissa had a very startled expression on.

"Y… yeah. Sorry about that, it's just…"

"They're the coolest creatures you've ever seen?"

"Exactly, yes. I've always fantasized about owning, or even just meeting, a dragon. Heck, if I did own one, I've already come up with a name for it."

"Really?" Ricken was now the interested one, staring at me wide-eyed. "What is it?"

"Well… it's a bit uninspired, but it's an homage to my favourite book series ever."

"So what is it!?"

"Spit Fyre."

"...Spit Fyre?"

"Yep." I'm certain that what followed was supposed to be an awkward silence, but I was still too elated to even notice. My thoughts had drifted to how to possibly try and train a dragon in this universe, and they were soon interrupted by the beat of wings overhead. I looked up to see the underside of a creature I had met before today; a brilliantly white pegasus was flying low overhead, headed towards us. As it circled around the convoy, getting ever lower, I saw a few scars and assorted injuries on its body, including one that made one of its wings beat unsteadily.

"Commander Chrom! Are you there?!" A woman's voice called from atop the creature, and I could now make out a shock of brilliantly red hair flying in the wind created by the pegasus.

"Cordelia?!" Evidently, Lissa knew her.

"Princess Lissa!" Winged horse and rider alighted on the ground, beast nearly collapsing the instant it did. "It's relieving to see a friendly face." Even leaning on the lance she brought with her, the red-haired woman was noticeably taller than Lissa. She wore silver armour with spots of red between the joints, which, upon a second's thought, was probably the clothes she wore underneath. That became more apparent when I noticed that some of the red was torn, and her armour was a little bit battered, as if she'd just come from a brawl.

"Gods, what happened?!"

"I need to see the Commander; our station was overtaken. I… I was the only…" Tears began to gently roll down her cheeks. No matter how hard she was resisting, nothing could stop the two small rivers from flowing.

"Oh, Cordelia…" Lissa flung her arms around the woman, who returned the gesture. "It'll be fine." She turned to the two of us. "One of you needs to go tell my brother."

"Right. Going." I volunteered myself before Ricken even had a chance to open his mouth. This woman was obviously distressed, and I wanted to help; this just seemed like the best way to do that… and I wanted to get closer to the wyverns.

"Th… thank you." Cordelia gave me a brief smile, which faltered when she noticed something. "But… you don't have a weapon! If they're in battle, you'll get killed!"

"I'm tougher than I look. Besides, the enemy never really takes notice of me; especially when threatening armed people are around."

"But-"

"For Gods' sakes, go!" Lissa was a bit impatient today.

"Yes, ma'am!" I ran off before she could retaliate at being called ma'am, headed towards the center of the fight. I ducked and weaved my way through the throng of villains both living and slain. I tried to ignore the slain ones, but I couldn't help but gag and feel utterly horrid about what I was seeing. _Keep it together, man. You knew what you were getting into when you decided to stay with these guys. They don't carry swords around for fun._ I held in all the horrible feelings in the pit of my stomach and focussed on the task at hand. I darted across rocks and between incredibly awesome wyverns, searching for the blue-haired leader. I found him and Robin at the head of the group, both of them directing orders at everyone around them.

"Frederick, Miriel; cover us! We're going to- Zack?!" I arrived at the duo, out of breath and only slightly fanboying about the wyverns. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be with the caravans and Emm!"

"Yeah, but… there's been… a complication." He gave me a strange look.

"What do you mean?"

"Someone… I'm pretty sure her name was Cordelia; she looked pretty beat up, and was saying something about her station being overtaken…"

"Cordelia?!" Phila, the commander of the Ylissean pegasus knights whom I hadn't really gotten to know, came swooping in on her mount as if the news of Cordelia's arrival had summoned her. "If she's here then that means that her squadron was… oh Gods…"

"Phila," Chrom turned to her, "go back and see what happened. We'll finish this and help with whatever we can afterward." Phila nodded, then flew off back towards the convoy. Chrom's attention then shifted to me, eyes widening with the same realization that both Robin and I were probably having. "Oh."

"Maybe you should have had Phila take him."

"Don't worry; I'll be fine. Besides, I still want to get close to one of those wyverns!" Chrom and Robin exchanged wary glances, then shrugged their shoulders and returned to the battle at hand.

"Stay close. Frederick, Miriel; we're going for the commander!" With that, the prince and tactician rushed forward, gesturing for me to follow. With me in tow, the two ripped through the horde of oncoming foes, barely breaking in stride as they headed towards their goal. Soon enough, the three of us had made it to the commander, who leered down at us from atop his armoured wyvern.

"Out of the way, prince! It's time for the Exalt to die!"

"I'd die before I let you get to Emm!"

"So be it!" He waved an arm and a blast of fire shot from the beast's mouth. We all rolled out of the way of harm… mostly.

"Owowowow!" I wasn't actually hurt, but the end of my sweater had managed to catch fire. I managed to put it out quickly enough, but I came out with a singed sweater. "Oh, man!" I went behind the nearest rock. "I hope that whatever repaired it before can do burns…" Ignoring that for now, I poked my head over the rock to watch the fight. Robin and Chrom were now exchanging blows with the commander, the rider's axe clashing with Chrom's sword and the wyvern's breath struggling against Robin's spells. Both sides seemed fairly even, the people I was rooting for only managing to land scratches that would never make it through armour, and the enemy doing the same. I felt as if I had to do something to help, but what could I do? I was just an almost adult caught in the middle of a war in a world that wasn't my own. _Well, I guess I can do something VERY different…_

"HEY!" I tried to direct my shout as best I could. "Can I just distract you for a brief second?" Amazingly, it worked. The commander looked my way, very confused, and it was the opening Chrom and Robin needed. I saw them move in, and ducked behind the rock again, not wanting to see the death of a man. I cringed as I heard him fall to the ground, wyvern wailing in fear. I covered my ears as the distressed creature flew overhead, its cries slowly fading into the distance. I only uncovered them when a I felt a hand on my shoulder. Looking up, a familiar purple-haired tactician was smiling at me.

"That was… unique."

"It was just something I've heard before." I looked back down at the ground.

"Hey, are you alright?"

"Um… we'll see."

"Robin, Zack; we need to…" I looked up to see Chrom coming over, his face suddenly riddled with concern. "Are you okay?"

"He'll be fine." Robin stepped in for me. Chrom nodded, then turned his back.

"Well, meet back at the convoy. I have a feeling that more bad news is on the way." With that, he walked off towards the others. Robin moved to follow, only to stop and give me a concerned stare.

"I just need a minute."

"Okay…" She obviously didn't believe me, but I don't believe she wanted to argue. I watched her disappear behind the rocky outcropping blocking full view of the convoy, occasionally looking back at me. When she was out of sight and earshot, I stared, unblinking, back at the ground. _What did I just do?!_

I found myself sitting on my bed, what I had done that day still rattling around in my head. It was so distracting that I didn't even notice Robin come in until she had sat down on my bed. I jumped when she did and tried to smile at her, failing miserably.

"You okay?"

"No, I'm not." She tilted her head, trying to get me to elaborate. I sighed. "I'm responsible for a man's death, Robin. That's not something to be okay about."

"You didn't-"

"Yes I did! Because I shouted to him, you two went in and ended his life! I caused that, Robin! I killed someone!" My vision was starting to get blurry; I was crying.

"Hey, come on…" She pulled me into a hug. "I felt the same once. Not as extreme, maybe, but I definitely had the same thoughts. It may not feel good, but it's for a good cause; and for now, that's all you can keep telling yourself. But, hey, if it makes you feel better, I'll keep you as far away from the fights as I can."

"No," I said, moving out of the hug, "I can't do that. You guys might still need me out there, and I can't just abandon you."

"I'll… I'll see what I can do."

"R… really?"

"Of course." She gave me a kiss on the cheek. "I'm here for you."

"Now I'm gonna have to find a way to return the favour."

"See? Better already."

"No, it's just that you're here." I could feel my cheeks start to give off a small red tint. This affection stuff still had some getting used to. It seemed to work, though, as she gave off the same tint before remembering something.

"Oh! That's right; there was another reason for me coming in here. We're going to Ferox in the morning."

"What happened to our escort of Emmeryn?"

"She got scared for Ylisse, and has already started heading back with a smaller escort. We've been told to head straight for Ferox and gather the army. I don't like where this seems to be heading."

"War's never fun."

"You sound like you've been through one."

"At the moment it's an internal war, but home did have its fair share. Heck, there were two so massive they were called World Wars."

"Wow."

"Yeah. I wasn't alive for either, but we could still see the effects fifty years later." I looked over to Robin, who's face had gone totally emotionless. She was probably deep in thought, trying to come up with a way to prevent total war. "Sorry, don't mean to scare you; just giving a bit of a warning."

"It's fine." She got up and headed towards the tent flap. "Get some rest; it's a long way to Ferox." And with that, she was gone. I wanted to make some kind of witty comment to myself, but that day had taken its toll. I laid back on my bed, and tried to get to sleep. Over an hour of tossing, turning, regret and sadness later, my eyes finally closed.

 **A/N: Well, that was… interesting. I promise I won't turn this into a super dark story, but there will be a few themes coming up that I feel need addressing (also that super-sad part that happens in-game that makes me tear up). Anyway, if you liked it (or you didn't), feel free to review or PM me with any questions, comments or concerns. Until the next chapter!**


	14. Chapter 14

The trip to Ferox felt like it took months, even though it was only two or three days. During the trip, I tried busying myself by starting up the Shepherds' close combat training. They were about as good as I thought they would be. They had good strength, good balance and average form, but they were lacking a surprising amount of precision and speed. When not trying to fix these mistakes, I finally started my magic training with Robin, which actually went really well. I was slinging around basic spells before we were even in sight of the Ferox border, though apparently not at a level suited for combat. Doing all of this along with Sumia having given me an incredible book to read in my spare time and my guitar to distract me whenever needed was starting to cheer me up. That is, until we actually reached Ferox. Not long after getting there, we got a message from the capitol telling us that Emmeryn had been kidnapped by Plegians. Naturally, Chrom went into a bit of a panic. As soon as he heard, he ordered everyone to move out immediately. He was so intent on going right away that he tried to force everyone to leave before they weren't even close to being ready. We all attempted to calm him down, and were soon on our way.

Still a bit distraught, I volunteered for the night watch, seeing as it was a bit difficult to sleep. Several people gave me concerned looks, but didn't say anything. The day leading up to the shift wasn't all that interesting, but the shift itself…

"You sure you want to do this?" Robin was about to go to bed in one of the moving caravans, trying to dissuade me out of staying up late into the night yet again. "I can take over if you want."

"No, it's fine. Wouldn't be able to sleep anyway."

"Well… alright. Just make sure you get some sleep eventually. You know, before morning comes."

"We'll see. Goodnight, Robin."

"Goodnight…" She got down from the seat next to me and walked towards the caravan that had been turned into a on-wheels bedroom, glancing back once. When she was out of sight, I turned back towards the road and urged the horse onward. I slumped back in the seat and let out a huge sigh, peering up at the stars. It was slightly clouded over, so there were a few spots of pure darkness in the sky, but other than that it was a beautiful night.

"Not even you can console me this time…"

"Who're you talking to?"

"Wah!" Without a sound, a certain candy-loving thief had appeared next to me in the seat, looking quizzically at me. "Gaius?! Geez, no wonder you're a thief."

"Best in the business." He leaned back, arms crossed behind his head. "So, what's up, Strings?"

"'Strings'?"

"Yep." There was silence for a moment as I waited for him to elaborate, but it never came. Trying to ignore it, I continued on with the conversation.

"I'm just… having a rough time."

"Kinda figured. That last fight really did a number on you, huh?"

"Even though I only really got my sweater got singed, yeah."

"Really? Looks fine to me."

"There's some weird rejuvenating thing it seems to be able to do."

"Sweet." It looked like he was in thought for a moment, the ever-present lollipop in his mouth swapping sides. "Woulda figured that your girlfriend would have helped."

"My gir- how did you find that out?"

"It was pretty obvious. You two are around each other enough."

"I… I guess that makes sense. And yes, Robin has been trying to help me, but this is something she can't really help with."

"Guess killing all your life can't help you help someone deal with killing."

"No, guess not."

"Although, you're not helping much."

"Uh… what?"

"You said she's giving you help, right?" I nodded. "Then why aren't you taking it?" I stared at him incredulously. "Help's a two-way path. If she's trying to help, you have to try and accept it."

"Uh… I…"

"Even if you're listening, even if you're following her advice; you're not taking it to heart."

"... How do you know all this?"

"Look, kid, I was in a similar place once. Something happened, and I didn't let someone help. Look where I ended up; a thief gettin' by on candy."

"You… you do have a point."

"Always do." He stood up and stretched his arms, shifting the lollipop again. "Later, Strings." He hopped off the caravan and strode off into the night, leaving me impressed yet confused. Although, I was feeling a bit better.

"Who would've thought..."

"Odd one, isn't he?"

"Geez!" This time, a red-haired merchant appeared to my left. "Again? Really?!"

"What?"

"It's nothing, don't worry about it." She hopped up next to me and sat down with somewhat of a sigh.

"Today was not fun."

"I hadn't noticed."

"Did your business endeavour turn out to be a bust too?"

"What? No; I was talking about Emmeryn!"

"Oh, yeah. That happened today too. Definitely not the best day." Only the sound of the horse's hooves penetrated the silence between us, my previous feelings of sadness and discomfort replaced with pure confusion and disbelief. Just as my thoughts finally collected, Anna made a small jump and turned to face me, eyes beaming. "Oh! Almost forgot! You wanted to know more about the Outrealm Gates, right?"

"Uh… yeah…?" With that, my thoughts disconnected once more.

"Well, you've come to the right place!" Strangely, she placed a finger on her chin and managed to give off the most mischievous look I had ever seen. "So, whatcha got?"

"I…"

"Ha! Gotcha! Someone already paid for me to tell you, so no need to worry." _They did? But who? And… why?_ "So, what did you want to know?"

"Well… as much as you can tell me, really."

"Strap in, then. This might take a while." It lasted the rest of the night shift.

By morning, I had more information about the Outrealm Gate than I had ever thought possible, which filled me with hope. I knew exactly where it was, what it seemed to do, most of how it worked, and everywhere that Anna had visited using it. And where to get the most out of my money in those places. I managed to fall asleep as the sun rose, any doubts I had lessening significantly.

When I awoke, the scenery had completely changed. The thick, lush forests had turned into arid desert, riddled with dilapidated ruins and sand-covered skeletons. The heat wasn't too bad yet, but I was noticing a slight amount of sweat on my forehead. Another strange thing was that the caravan had stopped. I poked my head out from behind the canvas to try and get a glimpse of everyone else, which was proving very difficult through the sand-filled breeze. I eventually spotted a few blurry shapes not too far away, and decided to go after them.

"Hope I'm right…" _Especially since mirages are a thing._ "Oh yeah; almost forgot about those." Thankfully, it wasn't a mirage. Instead, it was the Shepherds, calling across the desert to several shapes in the distance.

"Hold on! We'll come to you!" Chrom charged as fast as he could across the loose footing before Sumia came up next to him and offered a hand. With the pegasus' help, the two were the same shade of invisible as the shadows in the distance. Just before the rest of them could go and do the same, I grabbed Lissa's arm and half-turned her towards me.

"What's going on?"

"Morning, sleepyhead! We found some bad guys!"

"Oh."

"Only this time, they have a little girl captured."

"They do?"

"Yep."

"Then what are we waiting for?!" I pulled out my sword (that I now have in a sheath by the way), and followed the others in, Lissa following after.

"Gee, didn't know you would care so much!"

"Well, I do! Kidnapping a little girl is just wrong on so many levels!"

"Too bad you think that!" A plegian mage had come up to us, tome in hand. "Because you're in our way!" He sent an intense blast of fire at us, which we barely managed to dodge. When we did, I could've sworn I heard a small grunt of annoyance. Due to this, a stupid idea popped into my head.

"Nice miss!" I could see his whole body tense, and another blast of fire came at me, a bit less accurate this time. As I moved out of the way, I caught Lissa's eye and made as subtle a gesture I could to indicate my plan. It seemed to work as she slowly began to inch away. My full attention was returned to the mage. "You couldn't hit the broadside of a wyvern barn!"

"Oh yeah?!" _Thank Gods I got the one with the volatile anger._ Another blast of fire erupted from the man's hand, seemingly more wild and uncontrollable. I felt extremely epic as I sidestepped the torrent of flame, gaining a smug smile as I did so.

"Ooh, that was close. A few feet to the left and you might have hit the sand." Despite being an insult that was average at best, it did its job. The mage's face went red with rage, and he sent shots of magical fire in quick succession towards me, each one farther off than the last. I was practically standing still as the fiery vortex engulfed everything around me. As this was going on, I could see Lissa sneaking up behind him. When she was right behind the flailing Plegian, she raised her staff and slammed it down on the back of his head. It didn't quite work as well as I had hoped, as he only recoiled slightly before turning around to face Lissa. Then, as fast as I could, I glided across the sand towards his back, sword held high. With amazingly pinpoint accuracy, the pommel of my sword crashed down between his shoulder blades, knocking him out cold. Lissa grinned at me through the sand-strewn air.

"Whoo! We did it!"

"Yeah, we did! That was… surprisingly easy."

"I still need to work on my strength, though…" She glanced from her staff to the slowly forming lump on the back of the man's head.

"Nah, he was just more durable than usual. That hit probably would've knocked me out."

"You think?"

"Yep."

"I don't know… let's go find out!"

"With pleasure." We turned and raced towards the others, finally getting into the action. However, it didn't take long before I was interrupted by the sound of something… mythical. The roars of something very similar to a wyvern pierced the muffled winds of the desert. "...What was that?"

"Good question." Robin, who I had managed to inch my way over to during the battle, was scanning the sandy horizon for signs of what had made the cry. "Over there!" She extended a finger towards a spot in the distance that looked like nothing to me.

"How can you possibly see that?"

"You'll find out." She gave me a wink and ran off in her suggested direction.

"Hey, wait up!" I stumbled after her through the loose grains of the desert, barely managing to keep her in sight for most of the short run. _Man am I glad she has that stand-out hair coulour_ … That thought was left to drift as we came upon the source of the noise. Hovering slightly above the ground in front of us was an enormous green scaly lizard with wings. In other words-

"A dragon!" Robin was in awe of the spectacle in front of us. While still extremely excited, the previous wyvern encounter had slightly dulled my senses to it; or, at least, enough that I was able of competent thought.

"But where did it come from?"

"Is not dragon; is little girl!" Just on the other side of the beast was an older-looking man with ginger hair.

"What do you mean?"

"A manakete!" Chrom had appeared next to us, equally in awe of the dragon. "I always thought they were just a myth…"

"Question! What's a manakete?" I emphasized it by raising my hand.

"Yeah, I'm… a bit curious too." Robin managed to tear her eyes away from the spectacle to look at Chrom expectantly.

"Well, if she would oblige, it's probably easier to show you." He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted up to the dragon. "Hello there! We're here to help! Can you please come down so we can talk to you?"

"Are all the scary people gone?" A little girl's echoey voice came from the dragon's direction, although the mouth didn't move. The head did, however, look down at us with fear evident in its eyes.

"Yes, they're all gone; we're all friends here!"

"Really? Yay!" The dragon closed its wings and landed on the ground with an enormous thud, sending mass amounts of sand into the air. It began to give off a green light that grew and grew until I had to turn away in fear of burning out my eyes. When the light and dust settled, there was a small, green-haired girl with very strange (and very little) clothing. In one hand she clutched a dark green stone that was only just small enough to fit in the palm of her hand. She reached around behind her to put the stone somewhere, then gave us an enormous smile. "Thank you! You guys are the best!"

"Heh. It was no trouble. I trust they didn't hurt you?"

"Hmm? No, I'm okay. That weird guy over there helped me too." She pointed to the ginger-haired man who walking over, sheathing his sword. She looked down at the ground and started drawing with her toes. "I'm sorry that I thought you were a bad guy."

"Ha! Is no trouble. Gregor understands why dragon girl did not trust his baby face."

"Baby face?" Robin tilted her head slightly as if trying to see him from a different angle.

"Yes, baby face! Gregor's face as cute as little baby, yes?"

"Hm…"

"Well…" Chrom scratched the back of his head.

"I wouldn't say 'baby'..." I tilted my head in much the same manner as Robin's.

"Regardless, everyone's safe. We should continue on our way." Chrom turned, but the little girl ran up and grabbed him by the arm.

"Wait! I want to go with you!"

"Are you sure? We're not the safest crowd to be around…"

"I'm a dragon! I can take care of myself!" She made a pouty face very similar to one of Lissa's.

"We don't even know your name."

"Nowi! Now let me come!"

"I don't think you're going to get anywhere with her, Chrom. Trust me, I have a little sister." I walked over to Nowi and knelt slightly so that I was eye level with her. "He is right, though. I know you can be a dragon, but it's a dangerous path we walk. I know that better than anyone."

"You don't want me to come, do you?"

"I'm not saying that. I'm saying that I want you to be sure."

"Yes!"

"Alrighty then." I stood up straight and looked at Chrom. "We have a new ally."

"So it would seem."

"Do not worry about little girl; Gregor will follow and make sure there is no harm. For price, of course."

"You're a sellsword?"

"Gregor has swell sword, yes. Also is mercenary."

"Welcome aboard, then." Chrom gave the smile that we had not seen in quite a while. "It's time we moved. Shepherds; let's go!"

We actually stopped to camp that night. It looked like even Chrom had managed to calm down after the last battle. I was sitting in my tent, reading, when Robin walked in.

"Hey."

"Oh, hey."

"How are you feeling?"

"Um… better." I bookmarked the page and set it down. "Thank you, by the way."

"For what?" She sat down next to me.

"For everything that you've been trying to do for me, including paying Anna."

"How did you figure out I paid her?"

"Who else would do that? Chrom, I suppose, but not in the state he's in."

"Huh. I see your point. But why the sudden thanks for everything else?"

"I had a talk with Gaius last night."

"Uh-oh."

"No no, it wasn't anything bad. It was actually really helpful. It… I can't find the right words, but all you need to know is that it helped."

"Well, I'm glad." She moved to leave, but I held her back.

"Wait, um… do you have any plans tonight?"

"I was going to go read for a bit, but otherwise no."

"Then would you like to stay and read with me?"

"I would love to. Let me go get my book." She made her exit, and I smiled. _Taking initiative; very nice. Acting so mature today._ She was back within a few minutes, strategy book in hand.

"Really?"

"Well, I need to be ready."

"Seeing how close we are to Emmeryn, I suppose I can't blame you."

"Nope. Scoot over." I did, and she plopped down next to me. I reopened my book, and we sat reading together. At some point, she laid her head down on my shoulder, and I wrapped my arm around hers. We stayed this way until we fell asleep, our bodies keeping each other warm. It was one of the most serene moments of my life.

 **A/N: Hey guys; it's been a while! I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, but I had a bit of trouble both making it less repetitive and finding the time to work on it (also I got Fates, so that's been eating up time). I've already PM'd them about this, but I just want to give another big thank-you to EuclidWriter, who helped me steer the direction of this chapter, and hopefully more to come. With that, I leave you in anticipation of the next chapter where some things will happen. As always, if you have any concerns, questions, comments or criticisms (yeah, I'm adding criticisms to that), be sure to PM me or review. Until the next chapter!**


	15. Chapter 15

The last of the trip was quite frantic. Everyone was worried about Emmeryn, and all those worries were surfacing more and more the closer we got to her. Robin was almost always off somewhere, looking over and revising strategies non-stop, barely pausing to sleep. Chrom busied himself with near constant training. I found myself spending quite a bit of time with Sumia, both of us rattling off our concerns about those two to each other. It wasn't the most fun thing in the world, but it was a good way to distract ourselves from feeling the exact same way they were. Eventually, though, it was time.

We were hidden behind some of the old, broken ruins near Gangrel's desired meeting place. At first glance, the place didn't look like too much; some cracked stone pillars and half-destroyed walls strewn about an old, abandoned castle in the middle of the desert; but then I noticed that it wasn't a castle, but the fossilized skull of an enormous monster. From where we stood, we could see three eyes on one side of it that were situated just above teeth that were three times as large as the few still-intact columns. The fact that I had mistaken it for a castle was a testament to how gigantic the thing was. But, despite it being one of the most terrifying structures I had ever seen, there was something even more terrifying standing on a high rocky outcropping not too far from it; Emmeryn, being prodded in the back by a Plegian soldier. I looked over to see Chrom grip his sword tighter, eyes focussed on his older sister.

"Everyone ready?" On my other side, Robin was taking out a tome, her gaze landing on the emerging madman. "We're about to start."

"Pretty sure everyone's been ready since we left Ferox." The corner of her mouth briefly lifted at my remark, but she quickly went back to the stoic expression.

"Now is not the time for jokes, Zack." Frederick sidled up, staring me down. "Exalt Emmeryn's life is on the line."

"I know, I know; I become an entertainer when I'm terrified."

"Very well; just be certain to keep it to a minimum. I do not believe that milord and milady need such a distraction."

"Can do."

"Don't listen to him." Robin, still concentrating on Gangrel's words, spoke sidelong at me. "It's a good trait; we all need a bit of cheering up."

"Thank you." I smiled up at the Great Knight, who simply rolled his eyes. Just then, there was a small gasp from Lissa. I looked back at Emmeryn to see the soldier prodding her farther along the spike of rock they were placed on.

"Flavia! Now!" Robin called back to the Khan, who, with immaculate aim, threw an axe across the expanse of desert and ruins before them to send the soldier flying off the cliff with the weapon embedded in his chest.

"So, the prince comes to rescue big sister!" Gangrel was sneering at us from his own vantage point, his face twisted into a disturbing look of happiness. "What a wonderful family reunion! Too bad it won't last. Kill them all!"

"Shepherds; to arms!" Chrom's cry was followed by an intense uproar from the assembled warriors, including myself, and we all rushed forward. Well, sort of. I still hung back a little, not wanting to be on the front lines. This time, I was at the back with Donnel and Gaius, who also didn't want much to do with the fighting.

"Little surprised to see you here, Gaius."

"I'm a thief, not a fighter, Strings."

"Fair point."

"I hates ta interrupt fellas, but there's a right large number o' them enemies a-comin' this way!" Donnel was right; despite being at the back of the party, an exceptionally large number of Plegian soldiers were headed our way.

"Okay then. It's hero time!" The two with me gave me quizzical glances. "It makes me so sad that you can't understand my references…" Before they could respond, the first of the enemies were upon us. The three of us went into action, dodging and returning blows as best we could. Gaius, speedy as ever, practically ran circles around the enemies, hitting them whenever he got the chance. Donnel kept them at a distance with his spear while I covered his weak spots. We managed to fend them all off like this, only sustaining minor bruises and cuts. By the time that wave ended, the pommel of my sword had almost fallen off due to the sheer amount of knockouts it had done that day. I rested my hands on my knees, panting from both the heat and effort. "Are they… all gone?"

"Far as I c'n see." Donnel, surprisingly less tired than me, was looking around the open space. I could hear his rapid breath as he tried regaining strength. "I gots ta admit, that was a tough scrap."

"Not… arguing there."

"What's wrong, Strings?" I looked up to see Gaius smirking at me. "I thought your girlfriend would have trained you better."

"You're… one to talk… I can see… the sweat covering your bandana."

"'Least I'm not hunched over panting."

"Girlfriend? Yer datin' someone?"

"Yeah."

"Who's the lucky lady?"

"Robin."

"Yer kiddin'! Well shoot, our tactician's got herself a boyfriend!" I was about to say something very sarcastic to Donnel, but was interrupted by a very soft, yet moderately loud, voice.

"Pardon me, gentlemen, but are you injured?" We looked over to see someone wearing a white robe-like outfit with long, blonde hair that was parted in such a way that the soft face beneath was fully revealed.

"Thank ya kindly, miss, but there're people that need help more'n us." The stranger's face took on a look of mild annoyance combined with disappointment.

"I am a man."

"Oh! Sorry 'bout that, mister."

"It's no trouble." He broke out into a smile. "My name is Libra, and I am here to aid you in your quest to rescue Lady Emmeryn."

"Nice to meet ya; I'm Donnel."

"Gaius."

"And I'm… Zack. Sorry, just a bit… tired." As soon as I finished my sentence, Libra lifted up his staff and a green light enveloped me. All the bruises and cuts I had no longer hurt, my energy came back tenfold, and I even cooled down a little bit. "Wow. Lissa and Maribelle's healing staves aren't nearly that powerful."

"This is a Mend staff, which, although more expensive, can channel magic much better than ordinary Heal staves."

"Cool."

"I love talking about uninteresting things as much as the next guy, but we've got a problem." Gaius pointed to several approaching shadows in the distance. "We may need a bit of help."

"Looks like Robin was right; they're sending in wyverns. Alright, you three go tell Robin and Chrom; I'll wait here and keep an eye on them."

"Can do. Be careful, Strings." With a last mock salute from Gaius, they all took off in search of the two heads of our small army. When they were out of sight, my attention returned to the approaching shadows, which were now a lot bigger.

"That's not good. I thought it would've taken longer because of the harsh desert winds…" I sighed. "Maybe I shouldn't have sent _all_ of them. Speaking of winds, I wonder how well this will work…" From one of my pockets, I pulled out a green-coloured tome. As soon as my hands touched the cover, a small tingle ran down my arm and went straight to my head, the still unfamiliar feeling making me shiver. I flipped it open to the page Robin had shown me, then looked back up to see that the wyvern riders weren't far from me. I could barely make out what they were shouting above both the distance and howling winds.

"It's just one! Get him!"

"Uh-oh." Just as I said that, a thrown axe hit the sand next to me, half-burying itself in the shifting grains. I lifted up an arm and aimed it towards the oncoming wyvern, closed my eyes, and felt the magic course through my veins. _This is it; this is it!_ With all my willpower, I tried my best to summon forth a mighty blast of wind… and felt nothing. I opened my eyes and tried again, trying to send all of the energy to my fingertips, and nothing. "Come on; I've done this before!"

"And you won't ever do it again!" The man's shout gave me just enough time to slide out of the way of his enormous axe as it swished through the sand-filled air.

"Woah!" I began dodging and rolling as more appeared next to him with axes, claws and fire flying all around me. I suffered a few burns, cuts, and scratches trying to both dodge their onslaught and figure out why my tome wasn't working. "C'mon; ow! I thought this was supposed to be a wind-" As soon as I said it, I felt the energy surge through my body and expel out of my fingertips, creating a large, green-coloured wind where they were pointed, which was conveniently groundwards. The air current sent the wyverns sprawling back and set their riders off-balance. The momentary lapse in combat allowed me to realize my huge mistake. "Oh yeah! I have to actually _say_ wind! Man, I can be an idiot…" I retook a fighting stance, my outstretched hand aimed at what seemed to be the leader of the recovering wyvern riders. He had a look that consisted of annoyance, hesitation, and mild shock.

"Magic, huh?"

"Guess so." Rider and mount launched themselves at me, trying to catch me off guard. It seemed to semi-work as I weaved between his attacks, unable to make a counter of my own due to the sheer number of attacks the wyvern and Plegian were able to make in tandem. No matter how much I had mastered hand-to-hand defense, there was no way I was going to be able to keep up the fight against an axe and almost-dragon for very long. _If I don't find an opening soon…_ Both sides were exhausting at the same pace, the heavy axe beginning to slow as my own footwork on the shifting ground began to falter. If one of us made the slightest mistake, then the other would very much regret it. Fortunately, we didn't have to find out what would have happened as an intense feeling of dread began to encompass the wyvern and rider.

"Wh-what's that?" Darkness began to envelop him as he started to panic, swatting at thin air with the axe. Then, when he was nearly invisible in the blackness, it quickly condensed and reopened around him, sending the two flying backwards. I looked around exhaustedly to see what could have happened and spotted a black-haired, scantily-clad woman holding a black tome in one hand, her other pointed towards the Plegian. She had a terrifying smile on her face as her straight bangs covered her eyes in darkness, making her one of the scariest sights I had ever seen. That is, until she noticed me. Her expression turned from terrifying to disgusted, and light managed to penetrate her bangs to reveal her purple eyes filled with what could only be described as intentional loneliness.

"Th… thanks…" She still had me a bit terrified.

"A foot closer and you would've felt the same thing."

"Uh…"

"You were lucky this time."

"O-kaaaayyy…?" At that moment, another wyvern rider came to his senses and charged at the mysterious girl from behind, weapons at the ready. As quickly as I could, I pointed my hand at the assailant and concentrated on the magic coursing from the book into my body. "Wind!" The intense blast of air rushed past the girl and sent the wyvern spiraling again, this time crashing into a ruined wall and knocking out both beast and rider. "Whoo! Man, using magic is a rush!"

"Amateur."

"'Thank-you' works too." She rolled her eyes, then began to menacingly walk towards the rest of the wyvern riders, whom had now recovered. The leader, who was surprisingly still alive, had a look of pure fear about him. The woman seemed to notice this, and began to cackle insanely as she readied her tome, some kind of fearsome bloodlust taking over. Not really wanting to get in her way, I decided to sit back a bit more for the last of the fight. I was still plenty involved, keeping them off of the scary new ally and ensuring that as many as I could save survived the attack. Eventually, when they were all either knocked out or… killed… the woman gave me another disgusted look, then ran off to Gods-know-where. "Thanks… I think."

"Zack!" A familiar voice from above called down to me. I looked up to see red hair on the back of a pegasus coming down towards where I was.

"Cordelia! Hey!"

"I'm here… to… huh. I was sent to help, but I guess you've already handled it."

"Not alone. There was this… hauntingly scary girl that helped me out."

"Oh. Well, climb on; we should go tell the commander that the wyverns are gone."

"With pleasure." I got on the flying horse's back and we took off into the sky, the sandy landscape below blurring into a beige spot. I wasn't entirely sure how Cordelia could find her way through that, but she did manage to find it. We alighted next to Chrom, who was just finishing off the troops' heavily-clad commander.

"That was fast. Are all the wyvern riders gone, then?"

"Yep." I hopped off the steed. "Time for Robin's plan to unfold."

"Right." Chrom cupped his hands around his mouth. "Phila! Now!" Not thirty seconds later, a small army of pegasus knights came soaring in, headed straight for Emmeryn's position. I looked over to see Gangrel angrily stamping his feet.

"No, no, NO! That damned tactician cheated!"

"Don't worry." Aversa was still smiling smugly. "She's not the only one who doesn't play fair." _Oh, no._ Bright runes began appearing on the ground, lighting up the landscape surrounding the pegasus knights; several even came to light next to Emmeryn. In a flash of brilliantly cold light, every single rune erupted into Risen archers.

"What?!" That was the only thing Chrom managed to say before the undead soldiers notched arrows to their bows, pulled back the bowstrings, and fired. Every shot hit its mark. Pegasi and riders were filled with the deadly wooden shafts, turning from regular-looking, living creatures into bloody masses of arrow shafts and small bits of flesh. My mouth was hanging open in shock, horror and disgust at what I had just witnessed… and at how much more was yet to come. Pegasi and warriors fell from the sky, whatever life they had left after that assault draining away. Before she hit the ground, I managed to hear Phila lamenting in her final moments.

"Forgive me, Lady Emmeryn… I… failed…" Her lifeless form landed on her pegasus with a sickening thud, and everything went quiet. Every single Shepherd was staring at the massacre before them in utter horror, as were the remaining Plegian soldiers. Small gasps and sobs could be heard from both sides, the terror of war now catching up to all of us. I actually dropped to my shaking knees, covering my mouth with one hand. Then a noise began to grow. It started as a small, deep little thing, and soon turned into the raging cackle of a madman. I looked up to Gangrel's position to see him doubled over in insane laughter, the monster fully revealing itself.

"Hahaha, AHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA! Well, little prince, it looks like your advantage has fallen away!"

"You… monster!"

"Oh, he hurts me so, calling me a monster… oh wait; I don't care what a little whelp like him thinks!"

"Just… just tell me what you want, Gangrel."

"The Fire Emblem! Hand it over, and I may spare her holiness' life."

"Chrom!" Emmeryn's voice called down from her unstable perch. I was surprised that her voice carried so well. "Don't do it; the Emblem is too much to hand over for my life."

"Emm…"

"Oh, how noble. Shut up, queenie! This is between living men; not the soon-to-be-dead!"

"You'll kill her anyways!"

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't; you'll have to try me!"

"Gods, I can't see a way out…"

"Time is ticking, prince! Five… Four… Three… Two…" At that moment, I saw Chrom's whole body tense. His eyes locked onto the Mad King, and an arm began to reach into an inside pocket. "On-"

"Stop! Fine. You win, Gangrel. I'll… I'll hand over the Emblem."

"There's a good little prince. Now, give it to me. Hurry up!" Chrom's hand began to slowly withdraw from inside his outfit, a glint of gold becoming visible.

"So, is this what I must do?" The soft voice from above penetrated the air again. "So be it. Chrom, Lissa; take good care of Ylisse. You may not be completely ready, but I know that you can do it."

"Emm, what are you talking about?"

"Be the best you that you can be." It was nearly impossible to notice, but I could make out Emmeryn clasping her hands together near her chest. Then, as time seemed to slow to a halt, she stepped off of the rocky outcrop. I could make out Chrom running towards where she was about to fall, and I could hear the faint yells of a terrified Lissa, but Emmeryn's entire being seemed to be occupying my focus. Maybe it was the slow descent, but I could've sworn that this brief moment was one of the most peaceful I would ever encounter. It was something about Emmeryn that I couldn't quite put my finger on that made what would normally be a horrifying fall into one of the most serene moments on the face of the Earth. Then, as quickly as it had started, it ended. Emmeryn's crumpled form was left lying on the floor, and the peaceful feeling was gone; replaced with overwhelming dread and despair. Chrom fell to his knees just before her body, sobbing into his hands.

"No…" Robin appeared beside me, tears in her eyes and a hand over her mouth.

"Ahahahaha! Oh, what a glorious little fall! Probably the most pleasant splat I've ever seen; and I've seen many!"

"You… YOU!" Chrom got up and drew his sword, shakily pointing it at the madman.

"Chrom, no!" Robin ran up to him, attempting to hold the grief-stricken man back. "We have to go!"

"But… her body… I have to…"

"She's right, boy!" Basilio was standing at the back of the army with a caravan ready to go. "Now's our chance! If we don't leave, we'll all suffer the same!"

"Come on; let's go!" With a final pull from Robin, Chrom began running to the prepared caravan, glancing back every now and again to burn hate into Gangrel as best he could. _This… this is not good._

After a small battle with a very kind man named Mustafa, whom eventually died at the hands of an enraged prince, we found a small hideaway to make camp in. Olivia, the very shy dancer that Basilio had made our escort, had found the place for us. Unfortunately, her efforts went quite unappreciated that night. The mood around camp was, understandably, quite sour. Hardly anybody talked, the hollow sounds of angry hits against training dummies echoed around the near-empty camp, and deliberately slow hoofsteps could be heard. Yes, even the animals were sad. I was walking dejectedly around camp when I noticed Robin and Chrom passing by each other, not even glancing up at one another.

"This has to stop." I put extra power in my step, and went up to the two of them before they got too far apart. "You two; come here!" Startled and made curious by my sudden outburst, they stopped and looked at me. "That's enough."

"Enough what?" Robin took some steps closer, the sadness in her eyes becoming more evident with each one.

"My thoughts exactly." Chrom was even worse. It looked like he hadn't slept in years despite the tragedy only happening a few hours ago.

"Enough wandering aimlessly; enough moping; enough being hard on yourselves! You're our leaders; whatever you two display is what the rest of us feel. It's a little something called 'morale', and it has two sides. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I think I am." Chrom straightened up. "We cannot be sad; not now. Everyone else needs us, so we need to be strong for them."

"That's not what I'm saying at all!"

"Then what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you need to _be_ sad! Show some emotion; cry, huddle in a corner, do something other than mope around camp! Let it all out now so that we can follow your examples and are all ready for the future. I know it's tough; I was the same way when I lost my dog." They both gave me the same quizzical look. "I know it's not much of a comparison, your sister to my dog, but it's the best one I have. I knew her for fourteen years of my eighteen, and it was one of the hardest moments of my life when she… when she died. I was the same way that you two are now; I tried cutting myself off from as much as I could. I tried to shield myself from the world. And you know what? It didn't work. I got sadder and sadder as the days drew on, until I finally broke down and cried. But after I did; after I finally let myself feel, I felt better faster. That's what you need to do now. I'm not saying that you need to stop being sad altogether; I'm saying that you need to let out as much as you can now so that you don't have to be so sad later."

"I…"

"Don't say anything to me; I'm not the one you need to go talk to. Go and cry at Sumia for a few hours, she'll understand."

"Sumia?"

"Yes." He was so defeated at this point that he merely shrugged his shoulders and sulked off in the direction of Sumia's tent. "And you." I turned to Robin, who had been trying to sneak away.

"Me?"

"You. Come here."

"Look, that kind of therapy might-"

"I said _come here._ " She jumped a little bit and moved closer. "A little closer." Another step. "Little more." We were about a foot away from each other now. "One more." We were face-to-face. "That's it." I slowly wrapped my arms around her in the most gentle yet firm hug I was able to muster. She seemed a little surprised, but didn't resist. In fact, after a couple of seconds, she returned the gesture. Soon enough, I could hear gentle sobs and could feel my shoulder getting damper. Tears started to well up in my eyes as all the pain of this adventure; being unable to go home, when I caused someone's death, the pegasus knights, Emmeryn; fell upon my shoulders all at once. And so, there we stood, letting out all of the pain and heartbreak that was so precariously placed upon us. Yes, we were sad; but we had to be.

 **A/N: Welp, depressing turn… that was immediately ruined by me saying 'welp'. I'm just so glad I finally got over this chapter because I don't want to have to deal with sad stuff as much anymore. I know that about two chapters doesn't seem like much, but when you're trying to make a feel-good story, it's a lot. Before I sign off this time, I just want to warn you to have your brains ready next chapter; I may ask a small something of you. Oh, and just because I want to, here's an interesting tidbit that I'm sure will make me sound a lot more egotistical than I really am: Zack is actually my real name. Yeah, I'm using my real name for my Self-Insert. Take from that what you will. Anyway, as always, be sure to review or PM me with any questions, concerns, comments, or criticisms. Until the next chapter!**

 **P.S: I hope you guys aren't too angry that I skipped over a chapter from the game; this just seemed to flow better.**


	16. Chapter 16

My mostly bluffed therapy actually seemed to have worked. The next day, Chrom, Robin, and everyone else were looking a lot better. Camp had gotten much cheerier, and people were very close to being their old selves… along with a few new things. It seemed that Lissa had cried her eyes out at Stahl, who was now sticking very close to her. Similar to that, Robin and I were staying near each other; though that seemed a lot less out-of-the-ordinary. Even Chrom managed to smile every now and again. Well, until something happened. I was in the middle of being taught more magic by Robin when a messenger came running up.

"Sir, ma'am!" He bent down on one knee. "I have a message from our scouts."

"What is it?" Robin immediately turned to him, any semblance of joy she may have just had vanishing.

"The Plegians have started to surrender; only a select few are still rallying around Gangrel."

"Thank you. Please repeat the message to Chrom."

"Yes, ma'am!" He got up and ran away, searching for the blue-haired lord.

"Good news, then?" I walked next to her, wondering what she might do next. Her next move was to actually throw her arms around me and laugh.

"It's great! This war might be over soon!"

"Not if you keep hugging me!"

"What, don't you want that?"

"Yes, but I also want the fighting to be done with. So, could you please go do your job?" Releasing me from the hug, she rolled her eyes at me, gave me a small peck on the cheek, and ran in the direction of the strategy tent.

"No girl troubles for you, huh?"

"Gaius?!" The orange-haired thief was standing in the shadows, smirking at me. "Do you have to sneak up on me every time? And no, I don't seem to have any girl troubles for once in my life."

"Good for you, Strings."

"So, something up?"

"Er…" I saw a slight tinge of red make its way to his cheeks as his entire face soured slightly. "How'd you do it?"

"Do… what?"

"How did you… you know…"

"I really don't."

"Fine. How did you… get a date?"

"You're… asking me?"

"You going to tell me or not, Strings?"

"Wow. Well, hate to disappoint, Gaius, but I really have no clue."

"Great."

"... Although, I suppose it depends on who it is on both sides. I can try to help if I know who it is you're after."

"Oh, no; I'm not spilling the beans on that."

"I can't help if you don't." There was a long silence as he considered my offer. The air felt very tense as I knew that my offer was only a bluff. Of course I would try and help, but I didn't know exactly how just yet. Finally, after about a minute of pure nothing, he sighed.

"You win. It's… Maribelle."

"Maribelle?!" I nearly fell over in shock. "You've got a thing for Maribelle?!"

"Yes. Now, help me out!"

"Give me a minute." I racked my brain to try and come up with something; anything that could possibly help the thief. Unfortunately, my knowledge of both parties involved was somewhat lacking, so all I could do was be completely generic. "Well… what do you like about her?"

"Huh?"

"What's drawing you to Maribelle?"

"Well…" The red reappeared on his cheeks. "She's pretty… I saved her from the axe once… I don't know, stuff like that."

"Have you told her any of that?" I actually had to do a brief pause after I said that to process what he just said. "Wait, you saved her from execution?!"

"Yeah I stopped her from being beheaded, and no I haven't said anything."

"Start with that, then."

"... You know, that is the single most boring answer I've ever heard."

"Dude, it's all I've got; either try it or find someone else."

"We'll see. Later, Strings." Gaius walked off, notably in the direction of Maribelle's tent.

"Well, that was both unexpected and illuminating. Wonder if that'll work out."

"Wonder if what will work out?" Robin had returned, a rolled up map under her arm.

"Hmm? Oh, Gaius and Maribelle."

"Really? Those two?"

"Well… sort of. Gaius, definitely; only maybe on Maribelle."

"That's… interesting."

"Tell me about it. Anyway, all done with the strategy?"

"Yeah, but we have to move now if we want it to work. Think you can help me spread the word?"

"Absolutely. But by help you, do you mean go with you or get the other side of the camp?"

"Chrom's got them; you're coming with me."

"Alrighty." Then, in possibly the boldest move I had made since we actually started dating, I held out my hand. "Let's go."

"Um… What are you doing?"

"Offering my hand. Why? Is it too soon for hand-holding? Have I already messed up in my first slightly romantic gesture?"

"No, it's just… do we really want the whole camp knowing?"

"I mean, it's already pretty obvious that there's something going on between us. Besides, I already told Donny, and you know he's just going to tell everyone how happy he is that our tactician found herself a match."

"If you're sure."

"I'm… pretty sure..."

"Ha-ha." Despite the sarcasm, she took my hand. It felt awkward; good, but awkward. The warm touch of her slightly calloused, yet soft hand caused me to feel… something… erupt in my chest. I wasn't entirely sure what it was, but I knew that I liked it. We smiled at each other, moving shoulder-to-shoulder. "Let's go."

"Lead on, milady." She rolled her eyes, and we began our venture around camp, alerting others to both the plan and our… situation. It was a good afternoon.

The next day found us Shepherds staring down the pathetic bunch of Plegians that now served as Gangrel's army. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Robin smirking at the band of thugs who were just as slimy as their leader. Her plan was going to work very well.

"Gangrel!" Chrom yelled across the field, making the panicking Mad King jump. "This ends today!"

"That's right, prince; it ends when you die!"

"Took the words right out of my mouth. Shepherds; CHARGE!" With a rallying cry, the formations Robin had made moved out. Chrom, Robin, Lissa, and surprisingly myself, all moved through the middle of the battlefield headed straight for Gangrel. Cordelia and Sumia covered us from above, and the rest of the Shepherds were split in half, protecting our sides. Like this, we managed to make our slow way to Gangrel; those slimes were still pretty tough. Still, we managed to reach the last leg of the fight in a relatively short time, with Gangrel only one line of enemies away. As per the seemingly normal strategy, these soldiers were far better than the numerous grunts that we had just gone through. One of them decided to single me out as the weakest link, and headed straight for me. His axe came down near me, slightly tearing my sweater. I countered by swinging my sword at the axe, removing the metal head from its wooden body. The moment of surprise the man had was just long enough for me to strike his chest with the pommel of my sword, which stunned him, followed by a hit to the gut that sent him down for the count. Chrom bolted through the opening I had just created, making a b-line for Gangrel.

"Chrom, stop! That wasn't the plan!" Before I could run after him, another enemy barred my way. Steel met steel as our swords clashed, the force of his strike making me back up.

"You can't reason with him; hraah!" Robin was having similar struggles nearby, one of Gangrel's mages putting up quite the fight. "Not now, he's too angry!"

"Great!" Strengthening my stance, I began pushing back the soldier in front of me. "Just what we need; a leader consumed by revenge." Over the other man's shoulder, I could see Chrom and Gangrel clashing, Falchion gleaming off of Gangrel's jagged Levin sword. I swung my sword at the soldier again, forcing him to jump back into the unconscious form of his ally. The would-be hilarious way he swung his arms in order to regain balance gave me just the opportunity to whack him on the head with the flat of my blade, my KO count increasing by one. "I'm going after him!" Without hesitation, I charged through the gap I had just made, headed for the two duelling rulers. Their swords crashed together again and again, sparks flying every single time. I could barely hear what either side was saying over the force of their blows.

"You can't stop me, brat! I'm the mighty Gangrel; I can't die!"

"Let's put that to the test!" Chrom punctuated his sentence with a strike that sent the Mad King staggering, allowing the prince the perfect opportunity to finish the fight. "It's time to put an end to you!" Falchion lashed out, sharpened tip aimed directly for Gangrel's heart.

"STOP!" My yell made Chrom look my way, causing his strike to miss its intended organ and instead hit a non-vital part of the madman's body. Gangrel fell to the ground, clutching his side as Chrom pointed his sword at the man's neck, trying to burn a hole through me with his angered stare.

"Why?! This… monster destroyed both our kingdoms, killed countless innocents, and forced Emmeryn to jump off that cliff! So why, other-worlder, should I not end his pathetic life?!"

"Because of Emmeryn."

"What?"

"Is this what your sister gave her life for; so you could go out and avenge her death? Emmeryn didn't sacrifice herself to make you go out and kill for revenge, she did it so that you wouldn't. Do you really think that killing Gangrel will do anything other than sour your reputation? Who do you want your people to look up to; a man who strives for peace whenever he can, or a man who kills for revenge?" The fire began to leave Chrom's eyes as he took in what I had said. Turning back to the man squirming on the ground, he spoke in a still harsh but much softer voice.

"Get up." Gangrel spat on the ground. "I said," Falchion embedded itself in the earth a millimeter from the Mad King's neck, "get up!" He got up off the ground, eyes boring into Chrom and hand covering his still-bleeding wound. "It's your lucky day, monster. Leave now, and don't come back. If you do, I promise that you won't be so fortunate." With one final look of contemplation and disgust, Gangrel stared the two of us down. Without another word, he turned and ran off across the plains, leaving behind only his Levin sword and a trail of blood. A huge sigh erupted from Chrom, and his entire being relaxed, Falchion dropping to the dirt. "Thank you."

"Who? Me?"

"Who else?" He turned to face me with an enormous smile on his face that nobody had seen since Emmeryn's fall. "You're right; killing him would only hurt me. You're much wiser than you have any need to be." I gave him a grin. "And… sorry about the 'other-worlder' comment. I shouldn't have said that."

"No worries; you were very, very angry. I'm just glad it worked."

"As am I." The faint sound of a pegasus could be heard coming towards us, making me smile. _No need to wonder who that is._

"Well, I'd better go; I think you've got a bit of company."

"Yes, I believe I do."

"Ah, finally caught on, did you?" His happy expression was the only answer I needed. I waved him a goodbye and headed back towards the rest of the Shepherds, who were already celebrating the victory. Before I could reach them, Sumia landed near me and jumped off her pegasus, her face full of worry.

"Zack! Is everyone okay? Is the commander alright?"

"We're all fine, Sumia. Though, you should probably go and speak to said commander; I'm sure you two have a few things to discuss." She ran off so fast that I didn't have time to even get a glimpse of the expression on her face. "Gee, Sumia, were you worried or something?"

"Hey hero!" Robin was waving to me as she walked up. I did much the same, though in her direction.

"Hero? How am I the hero? You came up with the strategy and Chrom beat Gangrel; all I did was talk a bit."

"Well that talk stopped Chrom in his tracks; I'd say that's worthy of some kind of title."

"Even if it is, hero is a bit strong."

"Okay, then how about Strings?"

"... How much have you been talking with Gaius?" She gave a small laugh then grabbed me by the arm as we walked back to the others.

"Enough."

"Great; just what I need." From out of nowhere, a thought that had been brewing in the back of my mind came to the front of it. "Hey, there's been something I've been meaning to ask…"

"What is it?"

"Well… I was thinking that after we get back to Ylisstol I would go and find that Outrealm Gate. So, I was wondering if you wanted to come with?"

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Hm… I'll have to ask Chrom if there's going to be anything for me to do, but I'd love to come along if I can."

"Great! I don't think I could handle a few days with just Anna."

"Ah, so that's why you want me."

"It'll also be our first trip together without having to fight someone… but yes, that's a reason." She gave me a small shove as we merged back with the other Shepherds, who were deep in their victory celebration. All in all, it was a good day.

* * *

The next few days were quite interesting. There was a party that lasted two days, and at the end of it, Chrom and Sumia announced that they were going to get married. They may have been a little drunk when they did so, but I had the feeling that it was a sincere proposal. And, possibly due to this drunken state, Robin managed to convince Chrom to let her go with Anna and myself. He even said they would wait to do the wedding until we came back. A nice enough gesture, but it was probably going to turn out that way even if they hadn't decided to wait.

When we did reach Ylisstol, the three of us only stayed for about a day so that we could rest and prepare for the apparently short journey ahead. We said goodbye to everyone and went out on said journey south, headed towards whatever the Outrealm Gate turned out to be. The trip was very pleasant, especially since there weren't any Risen or bandits along the way. Despite this, Robin was still a bit on edge.

"Would you stop being so frantic?"

"Sorry, I can't help it! All I can remember is war, so forgive me if I'm a bit paranoid."

"I'm not upset, I'm worried; you've been like this since we left Ylisstol."

"That wasn't so long ago."

"It was two days ago, Robin."

"Two and a half, actually." Anna was looking back at us from the driver's seat of the wagon, her usual mischievous smile adorning her face.

"Because the .5 of a day was so important."

"It is to me! I only remember the trip because of how long it takes."

"We're getting off-track here. Robin, relax a bit! We finally don't have to fight anything; we can go around without any worries."

"Well…" I gave Anna a glare to make sure she didn't continue.

"There must be something you do to relax, right?"

"Um…"

"You're kidding."

"Actually…" Her face turned beet red. "Whenever I needed to relax, I would just come see you…"

"Oh." I looked away and smiled sheepishly as the area grew hotter.

"Sheesh; get a room, you two!" We both gave Anna a look, then returned to the discussion at hand.

"Let's start somewhere else then. When I'm trying to relax, I usually listen to some music or play a distracting game or something like that. Either of those sound good to you?"

"The music doesn't sound so bad… though I don't actually know any songs."

"No problem; I've got a few up my sleeve." From underneath my seat I pulled out my dark cyan guitar, as well as pulled my makeshift pick out of my pocket. "What kind of song are you in the mood for?"

"Your choice."

"Well…" I looked around to see the sun setting in the distance, the orange light giving the forest a soft glow. "It's not exactly correct, but it suits the mood."

"I'm listening." I did a single strum to make sure the instrument was in tune, then began to play. It wasn't the best rendition of 'Here Comes the Sun', but it would make my music teacher proud. Not only that, it seemed to have a somewhat soothing effect on Robin, whose shoulders relaxed a bit as her eyelids drooped slightly. I could feel myself smiling as I noticed these traits taking form, my position as a musician being wholly verified in that one instant. I even managed to drum up the courage to sing the song, which I was really hoping went over well.

"What'd you think?" I crossed my arms and rested them on my guitar, staring Robin straight in her hazel eyes.

"Erm…" I could tell that she felt extremely bad about what she was going to say, but amazingly, she didn't turn her gaze from mine. "I liked the song…"

"Great."

"No, you misunderstand! You're not a bad singer, you're just… average."

"Thank you for that uplifting vote of confidence."

"...Sorry."

"Don't worry about it; I knew I could never stand next to The Beatles in terms of singing."

"The Beatles?"

"Oh, right; no all-star bands here. The Beatles are a band back home that are among some of the best musicians that ever lived. I'm not actually sure if I've ever met someone who didn't like any of their music, even if it was a less-impressive version…" I tried smiling at her to assure her that I was at peace with it, but it didn't work very well; she still managed to have a very apologetic expression. "Speaking of which, why don't you try singing?"

"What?"

"This was to try and distract _you_ after all. Come on; it'll be fun!"

"I-I wouldn't even know what to sing…"

"Hmm…" I began to rack my brain, searching for something easy to start with. After about a minute of intense thought, I came up with one. "Alright, try singing this: 'Red like roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest'."

"Okay…

 _Red like roses_

 _Fills my dreams and_

 _Brings me to_

 _The place you rest_

...How was that?"

"...Wow." Her voice had felt like some kind of angelic force filling my entire being through my ears. "I think you may be better than the original singer."

"Yeah, right…" She smiled and blushed profusely. "I'm not _that_ good."

"Sounded like it to me."

"Ugh, would you two get a room?"

"Would you butt out?"

"Even if I would, I don't think you'd want me to."

"Why?"

"Because we're here." I looked across the front of the cart, and my jaw hit the floor. Not five metres away was an arch that stood three stories tall and two stories wide. It was detailed with carvings of dragons, designs similar to Celtic knots, various weapons, several different people, runes, and most confusing of all, palm trees. But that wasn't even the most incredible part. In the gap the archway should have left was a wall of shifting light, constantly changing colour. The scenery behind it was distorted and warped, giving off the feeling that this gate was not meant to exist.

"Woah…" What more could you say at a sight like that?

"Hiya!" Anna's arm shot up and waved at another redhead sitting near the entrance. I managed to tear my eyes away from the hypnotizing sight of the gate just long enough to see that there was a small stall set up at the edge of the archway, with someone who looked very similar to Anna manning it. "We're here!"

"Good timing!" As we got closer, I noticed that she didn't just look similar to Anna; they looked exactly the same apart from clothing. "I just opened up shop. It took much longer than I thought to get Old Hubba out of here…"

"Are you _sure_ you can't make a profit off of him?"

"I know I can, but he won't let me."

"Excuse me!" Robin interrupted, seeing as how I was still speechless because of the archway. "But who are you, who's 'Old Hubba', and how does the Gate work?"

"Oh! Right. Robin, Zack; meet my sister, Anna. She's the one who knows how to work the Gate."

"Hang on," I finally managed to speak, "you're _both_ named Anna?"

"All of our sisters are."

"That's insane! How do people tell you guys apart?"

"They don't!" They said in unison, both of them making a devious smile and placing a finger on their chins.

"Anyway, to answer the rest of Robin's questions," our Anna stated, "Old Hubba is an old man around here that's able to predict the future between a couple. We keep telling him he could make a killing off of it, but he refuses payment. Shame, really." I saw the light of an idea explode in Robin's eyes.

"No."

"No what?"

"I can see what you're thinking, and the answer is no."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to know my future; any of it. I'd rather leave that a mystery."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Fine. I'll just have to ask him without you around…" I rolled my eyes, but didn't object.

"So, the gate."

"Right. Anna?" It was so strange to hear Anna talk to Anna.

"On it. So, where did you two want to go? I've got a few places set up; a beach, a festival, a forest, and a couple more things. Any of those sound good?"

"Actually, sis, he wants to go home."

"Home?"

"I'm not exactly from around here; I'm from an alternate reality."

"...Oh."

"All I really need you to do is keep changing it to different locations; I want to see if a theory's right."

"Okay, I think I can do that."

"Great. Just tell me when you're ready." I walked over to the immense wall of light and stared straight into it, the shifting nature of the unnatural entity making me slightly dizzy.

"All set!"

"Let's do this." I stepped into the distorted light, and felt my body explode. There's a feeling people get when they're in freefall; a sort of exhilaration that can be felt only then. It was like that, only multiplied a thousand times over. All I could see was something very similar to a kaleidoscope made entirely of light. And, just like that, it was all over. I was standing on one of the many other sides of the gate, sand beneath my feet and the sun shining down. It would have been beautiful if not for the fact that I felt like vomiting at that moment. When the feeling subsided and my thoughts cleared, I decided to perform a small experiment. "Hope I'm wrong about this…" I took a Wind tome out of my pocket and did a small bit of magic. "Alright, time to go back." I stepped through the portal again, and reappeared back near Robin and both Annas.

"Hey, you alright? You look a bit green."

"He'll be fine; the first few times through are a bit jarring."

"I'll… I'll be okay. Next one, if you please." The Anna behind the stall did something on the side of the gate, then gave me a thumbs-up. I stepped through the swirling vortex again, landing on hard pavement. It looked like I was in the middle of some kind of festival; paper lanterns were draped across every building, shops with various knick knacks were set up all around, there were a few fireworks in the background, and everything was lit by the orange glow of sunset. As nausea left me, I did a bit of magic again, then went back through.

"Geez, why the rush?" Stall Anna leaned over the counter, looking at me with a large amount of surprise. "Don't you want to enjoy where you're going?"

"Not at the moment. Another one, please." Again, she fiddled with the gate, and again I went through. I ended up in a grassy clearing in the middle of a forest. I tried magic, then went back through the portal. "Again." Over and over this pattern repeated; new place, magic, come back, leave; until I eventually fell out of the gate onto my knees, slamming a fist on the ground. "No, no, no!"

"What's wrong?" Robin ran up, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"This was my only lead! NO!"

"What? Are you sure you can't go back to your world using this?"

"Yes. I tried using magic when I went through the gate, and every single time, it worked."

"So?"

"So the gate can only go to places that contain magic." I got a bit of a confused look from her. I sighed. "Dimensions have a base set of rules that need to be followed, most commonly referred to as physics. My universe's physics don't allow for magic, meaning that this gate can't connect to it. Besides that, it also looks like a gate is needed on the other side, and if it did exist on my world, I'm sure _someone_ would have found it by now."

"Hey, that's a good point; how did we manage not to see this thing before we got close?"

"I'm guessing that the spatial warping in the area bends light just enough so that it's invisible from most angles." I got back to my feet and ran my hands through my hair, searching the recesses of my mind for _something_ that could help. _I must have found something else in all those books… I may need to go read them again._ "It just sucks because of how much I was relying on this…"

"Don't worry about it, I'm sure you'll find something else. Come on; let's go home."

"I've been trying all day," I muttered under my breath. I sighed and followed her to the cart, exhausted from both the disappointment and the numerous trips through a reality warp. _How much could I change from this life to my old one anyway? Everything's so different…_ "No use fretting about it now. Think positively, buddy; you're in a great place surrounded by great people. What more could you want?" _My family…_

 **A/N: Now THAT was a long one! I suppose I probably** _ **could**_ **have split it into two chapters, but I really wanted to get to the part that's coming up, which I'll talk about in a minute. As for this chapter, I think I did alright. It kind of explains how Gangrel can show up later due to the DLC chapters, which I'm still on the fence about including any of. And before I forget, because I'm sure others are wondering as well, in response to** _ **Guest**_ **: The main story of the game; taking down Grima, stopping Walhart, etc., will stay mostly the same, I'm mostly going to change details.**

 **Now, on to the exciting part! As you all may be aware, we are now at the two-year gap, which means time for short little insights into life in Ylisse. There is a difference here, though; I need YOUR help! I thought that the gap would be a good place for community involvement, so I'm asking everyone for scenarios that you think would work well in this story. Yeah; you guys get to come up with plots for part of my self-insert. When making your requests, though, I ask you to remember a few things:**

 **This fic is rated T and does not involve swearing**

 **It is only from my perspective, so no looking into a far-off land**

 **The main plot will eventually have to continue, so I may not be able to get to everyone's requests, depending on how many I get**

 **They will be placed in no specific order, so keep that in mind when asking, and**

 **Make them fun!**

 **This is going to be a blast, not just for me, but for anyone who comes up with an idea, too! Oh, and the period for taking requests will end as soon as I upload the next chapter, so if you're reading this in the future and the next one's already up: sorry, but you missed the boat. Now, put your creative minds to use and send in those scenarios! Until the next chapter!**


	17. Chapter 17

_Thought I should start with this since, you know, it was mentioned last chapter._

There was quite the panic waiting for us when we got back. Chrom and Sumia had apparently set up an absurdly close date for their wedding, which made almost the entire city stir with life. Shopkeepers were running around making all of their profits on deliveries; citizens were decorating the streets with as many colourful banners, lanterns and wind chimes as they could; we even caught sight of the royal wedding planner darting from store to store, picking up and dropping off various materials and decorations. I couldn't help but smile at the sight. The smile widened as we went into the palace because of the immense pandemonium that was taking place. Paintings were being hung, tables were being set up, the arch that the two were set to marry under was being built, flowers were being strewn everywhere, and people were being tasked with keeping the ever-excitable Nowi out of the way. Donnel was currently in charge of keeping her in check, and he was doing quite a good job. He had her caught in a very elaborate trap, the dragonstone she needed for transformation kept at a safe distance.

"Donnel!" I waved at him, which he smiled at and returned.

"Hey there! Long time no see."

"Yeah, we had something to take care of… and now I've got some more research to do."

"Well, y'all can always ask fer my help, though I don't reckon I'll be of much use…"

"Thanks. If I find something I think you can help with, I'll let you know." Donnel nodded, then his eyes shifted to the tied-up Nowi, who was attempting to grab the tantalizingly close dragonstone with her teeth to no avail. "Mind if I ask?"

"Y'see, she was bein' a bit o' trouble, so his Royal Majesty asked me ter keep an eye on the little troublemaker, on account o' my ability ta resist her 'cuteness'."

"Lemme go, you big meanie!" Nowi was looking up at Donnel, attempting to persuade him with a puppy-dog look. "Please?"

"No."

"Awww!" She slumped her head down on the ropes keeping her still. I gave a chuckle.

"I'll leave you to your task, then." I gave him a parting wave, then decided to see if I could find someone that actually wasn't busy. My eyes instantly flew to Lissa, who was just leaving the ballroom with Robin in tow. _Looks like she had the same idea. Great minds think alike._ I rushed to the door, making sure not to disturb the carefully set up tables. It was much quieter on the other side of the door, the previous room's hustle and bustle reduced to a mumble, the disappearing voices of Robin and Lissa the only crisp noises. As I got closer, I could make out what they were saying.

"...So yeah. Our little trip didn't exactly go as planned."

"Wow. That must have been a bit of a nightmare. Although…"

"Oh no."

"It wasn't _all_ bad, was it?" I could hear the grin in Lissa's voice.

"No, it… it really wasn't."

"Tell me _everything!_ "

"Lissa, it wasn't anything like that; we just did a bit of singing and really just… relaxed. It was kind of needed after the whole war thing."

"Aww, that's no fun!"

"It was, though. And what about you? What have you been doing for fun while we were gone?"

"Well…"

"Hello, ladies." I had waited until I was right behind them to speak up.

"Wah!" Lissa jumped dramatically, almost falling over from the scare. "Zack?!"

"Hello." Robin, however, was totally unaffected. "I was just asking Lissa how much we missed."

"I heard; and am quite curious, too. I've got a feeling..." I could feel a smile stretching across my face. "So, Lissa; how's Stahl?" She gave me an angry glare, which was made much less threatening because of the red glow that began enveloping her face.

"He's fine."

"Anything… interesting happen?" I made sure to emphasize it by raising an eyebrow.

"Nope." She crossed her arms in defiance.

"Come on; if you don't tell us, Stahl will." She gave a loud sigh.

" _Fine._ Stahl and I are… a thing."

"Hah! Knew it!"

"Yeah, well, don't go telling everyone! I haven't even said anything to Chrom yet, and I'm a bit scared of what Maribelle's going to say…"

"It's great news, Lissa; and it gives me a few strategy ideas."

"Really? Your first thought is of strategy?"

"No… maybe."

"We're going to have to force some fun into you over the next little while."

"Oh, no."

"Sheesh; alone for a few days and you two are acting like you've known each other for years!"

"Only about one, actually." I had to stop and think about what I had just said. "Jeez, I've been here for almost a year; that's terrifying yet awe-inspiring. I survived through a year-long war! Whoo!"

"Was the 'whoo' needed?"

"See, this is the kind of thing that I'm going to have to teach you… maybe with a bit of help from a certain princess?" The large smile told me all I needed to know.

"Well, if you two are done giving me reasons to avoid keeping you in the same room, I'm going to take a nap; I'll need all my strength to help with this wedding." With that, the purple-haired woman walked off in tired stride.

"She has a good point there; the trip was long, and I didn't sleep much last night. Some rest is needed before I can get back to all this insanity."

"Aww, okay. Just remember; don't tell anyone!" I gave Lissa a wave as I continued down the hallway, feet leading me to the normal bed I hadn't slept in for quite a while. I yawned, fell face first onto the stiff mattress-like thing that protected me from the wood of the frame, and passed out.

I certainly needed my rest, as the days leading up to the wedding were hectic. Decorations were thrown everywhere, caterers were told to make the best food they possibly could, Frederick was running non-stop, Sumia was desperately trying to arrange everything perfectly, and Chrom could often be found yelling at someone about something. Thankfully, it all worked out for the best. By the time the actual wedding rolled around, everything was exactly as the two had wanted it to be. Every Shepherd was sat in the immense ballroom, surrounded by friends and family. White, pink, blue and yellow things filled the immense space in ways that managed to add to the incredible structure. At the front of the room stood Libra, dressed in an elegant suit, ready to officiate the wedding. Chrom was standing nearby, a somehow even more elegant suit seemingly strangling him.

"He looks nervous." Robin was sat next to me wearing a beautiful black dress that somehow managed to nearly mimic her robe.

"No, the suit's just tight; trust me." I tugged at the collar of my own.

"It can't be as bad as these high heels."

"Probably not, but I don't care to find out. If you want to wear the suit next time, though, you're welcome to experiment." I looked back at Chrom, whose sweat was becoming visible through the black jacket. "But yes; he's nervous, too." If she was about to say something, it was cut off by the sudden blast of music that echoed through the room. We all turned to see that Sumia had entered the ballroom sporting a sprawling white dress. The ceremony had begun.

Now, I would go into a detailed description of what happened and what the two up at the altar said, but I was half-asleep for most of it. Even when I wasn't being nudged awake by Robin, my mind was elsewhere; usually somewhere much more exciting. Weddings were a bit dull when you weren't the one up there. So, instead of detailing all of the little things my mind looked to during the actual wedding, I'll skip to the reception.

It was quite the interesting little party. Chrom and Sumia were sat at the head of the room for most of it, opening the gifts that people had provided, laughing with whomever decided to talk with them, and generally having a good time. I was mostly distracted with the table of food, trying out the delicacies that were usually reserved for higher-ups.

"Slow down or you'll choke!" Robin was staring at me.

"Hah!" I swallowed the mouthful I had. "You underestimate my eating abilities."

"No, I worry about your health!"

"Ah, the bickering couple. Isn't that only supposed to happen after marriage?" We turned to see Gaius approaching the dessert side of the table, taking anything not nailed down. "How's it going, Strings; Bubbles?"

"Bubbles?" I turned to Robin. "He calls you 'Bubbles'?"

"And he calls you 'Strings'."

"Yeah, but that has a reason; why are you Bubbles?" She shrugged. I looked to Gaius, hoping he would enlighten me, but he simply smiled.

"Gotta keep some mysteries."

"Great."

"Oh, no." Robin had turned to face the front of the room.

"'Oh, no' what?" I looked in the same direction to see Chrom calling over the barman.

"'Oh, no' that. Sorry, but I have to go stop him; Frederick asked me to keep an eye on them while he went to go get the new painter since the old one couldn't make it."

"Alrighty."

"Back soon!" She waved and took off, frantically waving at the server to stop.

"No girl trouble, I see." I looked back to Gaius, popping another treat in my mouth.

"Mmhmm."

"Means you two did it then, huh?" And I instantly spat it out.

"Do you have any sense of tact?"

"That a yes?"

"I haven't even _thought_ about that side of it, Gaius! So no, we haven't. Could you stick your head out of the gutter now?"

"A bit touchy, aren't you?"

"I am not 'touchy', thank you; I'm just reacting how any sane person would. Maybe that's why Maribelle doesn't like talking to you. Speaking of which, how's that whole thing going?"

"I haven't… exactly… talked to her since I spoke to you."

"And why not?" He suddenly became very interested in a cupcake. "Gaius. Go. Talk. To. Her. I cannot stress how important communication is in a relationship. Plus, I can see her right there!" I pointed to the noblewoman, who was sitting at a table and chatting with Lissa. "I can come help bail you out if you get into too much trouble, but you need to at least try." The orange-haired thief gave a huge sigh and hung his head.

"You really know how to make a point, Strings. You promise to help me bail?"

"Only if you need it."

"Fine. I'll go talk to her." Tensing his shoulders, Gaius slowly moved off in Maribelle's direction. Just before he got within her range of noticing, he turned to face me. I waved him forward, urging him from a distance. I could see the anger at being treated like a child rise in his face, but he walked up to her anyway. I barely heard him over the din of the party and the distance between us. "Hey, Twinkles." She looked up at him in disgust, crossing her arms.

"Gaius."

"I know you may not want to talk to me right now, but just listen, alright?"

"That was more work than it needed to be." At that moment, Robin got back, wiping sweat from her brow. "Be glad you don't have to look after that child of a ruler."

"I've got my own things to look after." I gestured to the table, Gaius explaining to Maribelle and Lissa looking on with a shine in her eyes.

"Oh."

"I promised to get him out of there if anything went wrong, but I don't think it will." Maribelle's previously uninterested gaze started to focus more on Gaius, her expression becoming one of shock and guilt. Her whole body seemed to loosen up, crossed arms relaxing slightly. "He's smoother than he thinks he is. Heck, he's smoother than _I_ think he is."

"Becoming a matchmaker, are we?"

"I have to find _something_ to do around here, don't I? And don't go calling me 'matchmaker' just yet; we'll have to see if this works out."

"I'm fairly certain it will." Robin pointed to the two, both of whom were now standing. The noblewoman seemed to be saying something to Gaius, though what it was I had no idea. It got clarified a little bit when she, Maribelle, _the_ Maribelle, the least-likely-to-do-this person around… ever, gave him a hug. "You've gotten them that far already."

"Whoa; wasn't expecting that." At that moment, the band decided that now was a good time to start playing, various couples around the room splitting off to dance. Maribelle dragged Gaius to the floor, the thief giving me a smile and a wink as they ventured out across the ballroom. "Or that."

"I have to admit, the dancing is a surprise. Though…" Her arm wrapped around mine, "...It's not a bad idea."

"You sure? I have, like, twenty left feet."

"So long as one doesn't step on my toes, I think it's okay."

"Alright…" We slalomed through the crowd onto the main dance floor, managing to land right next to Chrom and Sumia. This positioning became more and more comforting as time wore on due to the fact that no matter how many left feet I had, Chrom danced like he was drunk and had twice as many feet as me.

"At least you're better than him," Robin chuckled.

"You realize that's not much of a compliment?" I had to look up from the ground to talk to her, I was so intent on not stepping on her high heels.

"I know."

"Thanks."

"Seriously, though, you're not all that bad. You need to look at my face more, but other than that you're okay."

"Uh-huh."

"Fine; don't believe me. All that matters is that I'm right."

"Wonderful attitude you have there." She playfully hit my shoulder, smiling broadly and rolling her eyes. "But… thanks."

"Just saying the truth."

"About the 'all that matters' part too, or…?" I grinned.

"You had to ruin the moment."

"It'll come again. After all, I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

"Yeah… I know." She leaned in, putting her head on my shoulder, and we began to slow dance along to the swaying music. "I'm sorry that the Outrealm Gate wasn't what you hoped it would be."

"Why are you sorry? It's not your fault."

"Still…"

"Look, don't worry about it. I'll be fine. There's bound to be another way, and even if there isn't, at least I'm stuck in this amazing place with these incredible people." I rested my head against hers, which felt both very unfamiliar, yet oh-so-comforting. "Thanks for being one of them."

"I do my best." We danced like this long into the night, managing to outlast even the newlyweds. It was during this time that I knew things would work out for the best. After all, I was living quite the dream.

 **A/N: Okay, here we go! Requests are officially off, and the fluff section has started. I plan to do quite a few chapters here, most of them developing relationships, and all of them varying lengths. Thanks for your patience with my fluctuating updates, and I hope you enjoy! Before I sign off, be sure to review or PM with any questions, concerns, comments, or criticisms you may have. Until the next chapter!**

 **P.S: Thanks to everyone who gave me ideas; your names will be mentioned when I use those influences! For this and the next chapter, thanks to Anon-Kun for reminding me that Nowi exists; I may be able to have some fun with her personality.**


	18. Chapter 18

"Get up, lazybones!"

"Urgh… why are you in my room?" I rolled over in my half-sleep, attempting to ignore the princess incessantly shaking my shoulder.

"Come _on!_ There's something we want to show you!"

"We?" I rolled back over and opened one eye, the prospect of multiple people being in on whatever she was trying to wake me up about intriguing me.

"Yes, we; now get up!"

"Alright, alright; I'm getting up."

"Meet us down in the entrance hall!" A bouncy yellow blur was all that remained as she shot out the door.

"Can't wait…" _Did she really have to bug me so early?_ I walked over to the window to see if the sun was even up. I opened the curtains… and it looked like it was around ten o'clock. _Oh._ Removing the soft pyjamas Chrom had generously loaned me (they were a bit big, but I liked them that way), I put on my usual attire and headed to the entrance hall, stopping by the kitchen for breakfast on the way. Fresh bun in hand, I opened one of the many side doors to the hall, preparing myself for whatever Lissa had planned.

"Surprise!" A chorus of shouts echoed through the great hall as half of the Shepherds yelled excitedly at me. I looked around in genuine surprise; the place was decorated with coloured banners, several streamers, and a few things floating around with the aid of magic. In the center of the hall was the source of the shouting; around half of the Shepherds were gathered around a long table covered in treats and gifts.

"What's this?"

"A surprise party!" Chrom walked up, gave me a hefty pat on the back, and started to guide me over to the table. "You've been here around a year now, so we thought that your birthday must be coming up, if you haven't already had it."

"Oh yeah! Huh. I guess I probably am nineteen by now, aren't I?"

"You don't know?"

"Well, I can guess, but I'm not sure if your months work exactly the same here. From what I've seen, they take up the same amount of time, but other than that I'm not sure how accurate they are to my own."

"You could be right," Chrom chuckled, "or you could just be overthinking it."

"Probably."

"No wonder you and Robin get along so well." Making no comment felt like the best course of action. "So, are you just going to stand here, or are you going to enjoy the party?"

"C'mon! I want to show you the game I made!" Despite her age, Nowi was pulling at my sleeve like a five-year-old, eager to show me what she thought was the best thing in the world. Chrom laughed as I was dragged off by the little dragon, headed straight for an assortment of objects that had no business being associated with each other.

After a few games with Nowi, I was allowed to enjoy everything else the party had to offer thanks to Lissa intervening. I was a bit hesitant to leave those two alone, but the nearby eye of Frederick managed to calm my nerves. Outside of Nowi's ring of influence (and inside a little as well), the party was incredibly fun. People were making up stories to try and impress others, there were a few improv games going on, snacks were being devoured just as fast as the cooks could replace them, and there was just a general good feeling in the air. Despite all this warm-heartedness, there was something missing.

"Hey Chrom?"

"Hm?" I managed to catch the ruler over at the drinks table, which was thankfully devoid of alcohol.

"Have you seen Robin anywhere? It'd be nice to know where my girlfriend is at a party."

"Did nobody tell you? She couldn't make it."

"She couldn't?"

"I'm afraid that there was quite a bit of paperwork she had to do that piled up during your absence, and there was apparently something else she needed to take care of."

"Oh, okay."

"You sound a bit disappointed."

"I kinda have to be, don't I? I mean, I know that her work is really important, and this isn't… her…" _Oh my god._

"Zack? Something wrong?"

"Does Robin know her own birthday?" Chrom's eyes slowly widened at my suggestion. "She's told me that she's managed to remember how old she is, eighteen by the way, but she hasn't said anything about a birthday."

"She hasn't mentioned anything to me, either. But what can we do?"

"Well… I may have an idea; but it'll only work if everyone is willing."

"Then I'll get their attention for you. Listen up, Shepherds!" All noise stopped, and all eyes turned to Chrom. "It seems we have a small problem regarding our tactician, but Zack believes he has a solution if you're willing to listen." He turned and smiled at me. "Your turn."

"Gee, thanks. Okay, everybody; here's the problem…"

It was nighttime when she arrived. A door-shaped light on one side of the room alerted us to the fact that she had entered the building.

"Hello?" Robin's call echoed around the pitch-black room. "I must have missed it." I looked over to my right and gave a small nod to the figure I knew was there, the only sign that he had heard me was the young mage's grin almost shining through the darkness. We both stood up and shot blasts of magic into the air, illuminating the entire room.

"Surprise!" Another chorus of shouts reverberated throughout the entrance hall. Nothing much had changed; all the decorations were still up, the food was all still there, Nowi's games were still set up all around the room, and the hall was still full of Shepherds, but there was one key difference: everything that had had my name on it now said Robin.

"...Huh?" She looked very confused. "Isn't this… supposed to be for Zack?"

"It was," Chrom went over and did much the same to her as he did to me, "but we all figured you could use your own party."

"But-"

"No 'buts'; it was my idea, and I'm sticking by it."

"Your idea? Don't you want a birthday party?"

"Of course I do; I just thought that you might want one more. After all, it is your birthday."

"It… is?"

"Sure. I mean, if you can't remember the day, then we'll just make it up. I don't think anybody will mind." Robin stared around the room for a second, scanning the smiling faces of every Shepherd present, then slammed into me with a hug so strong it felt like I was inside a car compactor. "Glad you like it."

"You didn't have to…"

"I wanted to. Although, making this short notice has made me come up short with a present…"

"This is more than enough. Oh! Speaking of presents…" She released me from the iron grip and reached into one of her many pockets, pulling out a small box. "For you."

"Why thank you." I took it and opened the small box, revealing a small jade bird inside. "What's this?" Taking it out completely, I could see that it was actually a necklace, and that somehow the bird looked almost exactly like most depictions of Hræsvelgr the Corpse Swallower. I looked from the piece of jewellery to Robin and back a few times, not sure what to think.

"Like it?"

"It's amazing! You must have spent a fortune on it!" I put the necklace on. "Jade cannot be easy to come by."

"It was worth it. Though, I don't think a small jade bird can quite compare to an entire birthday."

"You underestimate the power of a gift. Say, was this the 'something else' you had to take care of?"

"It… may have been."

"Robin! Robin!" Nowi came running excitedly up, a new spark of creativity in her eyes. "Come see! Come see! Me and Lissa made something awesome!" Robin gave me a look of both fear and pleading.

"You should go see what those two cooked up; I'm sure it'll be fun." It turned to one of anger, while I took on a grin.

"Let's go!" Nowi pulled Robin along with all the strength her non-dragon body had, which was still a fair amount. As they went off to the corner of the room where Lissa was awaiting the now-birthday girl with a devilish smile, I looked at the necklace again. It really was an incredible piece of craftsmanship.

"How did she even get it to look like Hræsvelgr?" _Some things don't necessarily change across dimensions._ "True. Right; there's a party, and I'm not… uh… partying. Partying at a party. Uncreative, but it'll work." I mixed back in with the throng of Shepherds, getting into the swing of things once again.

It was almost sunrise by the time the party ended. Exhausted, we all went back to our rooms and houses, ready for a good night's sleep. Robin and I walked together, seeing as our rooms were quite close together. We were mostly walking in a tired, yet comfortable silence, until about halfway along.

"Zack?"

"Hm?"

"Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Give me your party; why?"

"There were a few reasons." I didn't want to go further, but her tired look of annoyance practically forced me to go on. "First, you're my girlfriend; I shouldn't need much of a reason beyond that. Second, you just deserve it more than I do."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you provide so much for everyone here: tactics, teaching, emotional support, a beautiful smile; and I'm just a stranger from across reality. I'm barely a footsoldier, I'm practically mooching off of all of you, and I haven't really given back." There was a small silence as both of us took in what I had just said. I could practically feel Robin trying to come up with something to console me, even though there was no consoling needed. "Guess I'll just have to work at that." _Maybe that'll stop her worrying._

"Okay…"

"Anyway, this is my stop." We had reached the wooden door that blocked off my room from the rest of the castle. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight…" She turned to leave, but I went and grabbed her arm, hesitating a little just before I got a grip. "Wh-" We brushed lips for the briefest of moments, but it was one of the best of my life. After I pulled away, we both stood red-faced, Robin looking completely dumbfounded.

"Happy birthday." Before anything else could happen, I gently closed the door, slumping against it slightly. After about thirty seconds, I heard the sound of footsteps going away from the door, signifying that she had left. Sighing, I went over to the bed and clambered in, not even bothering to change into my pyjamas. I fell asleep with a small smile on my face.

 **A/N: STOP RIGHT THERE! I know some of you have already started to write 'Happy Birthday' in the reviews, but it isn't actually my birthday; that happens in September. This idea just popped into my head since I mentioned being in this world for around a year last chapter. Anyway, as always, be sure to leave any questions, concerns, comments, or criticisms in a review or PM. Until the next chapter!**


	19. Chapter 19

It was another beautiful day in the city of Ylisstol; the sun was shining, birds were singing, people were going about their daily routine, and I was bored out of my mind. Frederick, the taskmaster himself, had managed to get a small cold, so training was cancelled, Lissa had managed to break a string on my guitar, so that wasn't an option, and I had finished the book Sumia lent me the day before. To top it all off, most of the Shepherds had gone to get rid of a few Risen that had managed to show up around Southtown again. So, in a desperate attempt at surviving said boredom, I was on my way to Sumia and Chrom's room to return the book. I rapped on their door, not expecting anyone to be in, but incredibly, I heard clattering come from behind the wooden structure. After a few seconds, the door opened to reveal a very flustered Exalt, his blue hair in a bit of disarray. I peered just past him to see papers, books, quills and various other office supplies scattered on the floor around a desk.

"...Zack?" I looked back at Chrom and saw both ink and red marks on one side of his face, presumably the part he had just been sleeping on. "Mmm; I must have dozed off. Is there something you needed?"

"Sorry to disturb; just wanted to return Sumia's book." I handed over the leather-bound pages, noting how half-heartedly Chrom grabbed it. "I didn't expect to find you here; I thought you'd gone to Southtown with everyone else."

"I would have, but there was a lot of paperwork to finish along with the problem of someone needing to be in charge."

"Couldn't Sumia have taken care of the place?"

"Unfortunately, she hasn't been trained in all of her new responsibilities yet, so she isn't officially qualified to lead the kingdom in my absence."

"Well that's stupid."

"A little, yes."

"Anyway, I should leave you to your… uh… work there." I nodded towards the mess he had left.

"I suppose you should," he sighed. "It's not fun, but it has to be done."

"Nice rhyme there. I'll see you later, Chrom."

"Be sure to keep yourself busy!" I gave him a wave as the door closed between us. _What do you think I'm trying to do?_ I walked back down the hallway, scratching my head, trying to figure out something to do. Thankfully, that something collided with me, full-force.

"Oof!" I had the wind knocked out of me as a certain shy dancer crashed into me.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry!"

"Hey, Olivia. Don't worry about it; just watch where you're going next time, huh?"

"R-right."

"Is there a reason you're in such a rush?"

"Um… w-well…" Her face went bright red as her grip tightened around a piece of paper she had clenched in her fist. "I have something to give Chrom…"

"Good thing I just woke him up, then."

"A-actually, I have one for you, too."

"You do?"

"Uh-huh. I-I was going to give it to Robin for the both of you, but since you're here…" She took out another piece of paper from gods-know-where, holding it out to me.

"Am I really that intimidating?" Her small nod was subtle, but there. "Can I ask how?" As I grabbed the paper from her, I could see that it was some sort of invitation.

"I-it's just… you're…"

"I'm…?"

"You seem so… different." I raised an eyebrow. "I-I mean, your clothes are all strange, you claim to be from 'across dimensions', whatever that means, and…"

"And…?"

"And you just… just look a bit scary…"

"I do?" Another nod. "Geez, guess I've got to work on that… you do know that I'm not actually scary, right?"

"Um…"

"Don't worry about it; I'm not the best for appearances anyway. So, what have you gifted me with?" I looked back at the paper, finally reading the words written in shockingly colourful ink. 'Performer Showcase at the Ylisstol Royal Theater; come watch acts, new and old, display their talents for your entertainment! Participants always welcome!'

"I'm dancing in the show, so I wanted to invite all the Shepherds."

"Oh, excellent! I haven't gotten to see your dancing yet; I hear it's quite the spectacle. You can count on us being there." Olivia turned red again, smiling broadly. "You should probably go give that one to Chrom before he falls asleep again."

"Um… okay. I-I'll see you later!" She gave a shy wave and sped off down the hall.

"Am I really that scary-looking?" I looked down myself, trying to determine in what way I could be considered even slightly intimidating. Bulk: nerd-buff. Eyes: cool blue. Hair: a bit long and messy. Face: unshaven. Attire: red sweater (well, I call it that, but it's more of a hoodie), black-and-red cap, grey cargo pants, blue shirt, brown shoes, jade Hraesvelgr necklace. "Hmm… suppose I could do with a bit of sprucing up. I wonder if there's a barber shop anywhere in town." I rolled up the piece of paper, put it in my pocket and, new goal in mind, set out into the streets of Ylisstol.

My trip was quite unsuccessful. I got lost in the winding streets several times, realized I had left my money back in my room when I was already halfway across town, and I was starting to miss dinner. The only slightly good thing to happen to me was on the way back to the palace. I was walking down the main street, looking up at the sky in an attempt to ignore the hunger eating away at my stomach. Naturally, walking like this made me bump into someone who was carrying way too many books. Several of them crashed to the ground, paper flying everywhere.

"Oh, sorry!" I knelt down to pick some of them up. "My fault!"

"No need for apologies; perhaps I was simply carrying too much."

"Well, I wasn't looking where I was going."

"Perhaps we were both at fault."

"I guess." I handed the books back, getting a look at the man's face. He looked… familiar. He had on a pair of no-nonsense glasses, one of those still incredibly silly mage hats covering his brown hair, and seemed to be in full mage combat gear. However, the strangest thing about him was how he reacted to seeing my face. He seemed stunned with surprise, eyes widening to, and probably past, their maximum width. "...Something wrong?" Shaking himself slightly, he gave a small smile.

"No; time just moves slower than I had anticipated."

"...Okay…?"

"Apologies, but I must be on my way. There are matters that need my attention."

"Alright. Good luck with… whatever it is you're doing."

"Thank you." With that, the man went on his way. I found myself staring at his receding back, wondering exactly what had just happened.

"Not entirely sure what just happened there." _At least it was interesting._ My stomach growled at me again, and I returned my attention to the palace in the distance. "No time for that now; food beckons!" I pointed a finger towards the palace down the empty street and continued on my way. I was in a strange mood after that encounter.

 **A/N: Bit of a shorter chapter this time, but I did say they would be of varying lengths. Hope you enjoyed it! As always, be sure to review or PM with any questions, concerns, comments, or criticisms. Until the next chapter!**


	20. Chapter 20

"Would you care to accompany me to the theater?"

"What?" A few days had passed since Olivia had given me the invitation, and the Shepherds had all returned. I had given Robin two days for a bit of R&R, and figured that now was the best time to ask her out on our first official date.

"Olivia's invited us to go to her performance, and I was hoping that you would want to go."

"Uh…"

"You do realize that we've been dating for a year, and we haven't actually been on a date?"

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Wow. How did I miss that?"

"So? How about it? Want to go?"

"But I still have all this paperwork, and-"

"Pssh, screw the paperwork; our comrade is putting herself at risk for our benefit. The least we could do is be there."

"At risk?"

"Sure; there's always the risk of embarrassing yourself in front of hundreds of people."

"I suppose…"

"Even the royal couple are going; I'm sure you could skip out for the night." She gave a large sigh, running a hand through the part of her hair that wasn't in a ponytail, and gave me a defeated look.

"You win. I'll come."

"Don't sound excited about it or anything."

"Sorry, I'm just a bit overwhelmed at the moment. The Risen attacks haven't stopped, and Chrom's so bad at doing paperwork that I've had to redo at least a third of everything he's signed."

"And that is why you need our first date night."

"I guess." She then gave a small chuckle. "You've certainly gotten more bold, haven't you? First one to give a kiss and first one to ask on a date."

"Yeah, well…" I could feel my cheeks giving off a small tint of red as I grinned at her.

"If that's out of the way, would you mind letting me get back to work? I've got a lot to do if I'm going to make up for that night."

"Right. Don't work too hard; you'll need your rest. You've got four days!" She gave me a nonchalant wave as I backed out of her room, leaving the tactician to her work. Seeing as I had a bit of time to kill, I decided to venture into the barracks. Normally, this would have been a terrible idea due to Frederick almost always hanging around there, just waiting for his chance to exhaust the nearest soldier with his training drills, but he still had a small cough and insisted that he remain home for the good of everybody else… though maybe not for the reason he was thinking of.

At the barracks, I found our resident pegasus riders grooming their mounts and talking about the upcoming performance.

"I still can't believe that Olivia's breaking out of her shell!" Despite her energetic attitude, Sumia barely looked up from her task of brushing her steed's mane.

"I heard that it was because there's a man involved." Similarly, Cordelia only glanced to her friend as she brushed the pegasus' matted hair.

"Ooh, have you heard who?"

"No, but I have a few ideas."

"Like who?"

"Well, she doesn't seem all that shy around Kellam, probably because they're both so quiet; she also looked very distressed when Virion said he would be going back to Roseanne soon; and Lon'qu has told me that she's gone to see Libra quite a lot over the past little while."

"Wow, Cordelia; I'm amazed you've managed to notice all that despite your constant train- wait, Lon'qu?!" Sumia's head snapped up. "You _talked_ to Lon'qu?!"

"Um… y-yes…" Cordelia's face turned nearly as red as her hair.

"How?! He's too terrified of women to even come near me; or Olivia, or Lissa, or Panne, or even Miriel! What's the secret?"

"Zack! Hi! Haven't seen you in a while!" In what was probably one of the worst attempts at changing a subject I'd ever seen, Cordelia waved at me with a look of desperation on her face. Shaking my head, I walked over. "What brings you here?"

"Nothing much; just preparing myself for Olivia's performance."

"What a coincidence! We were just talking about that."

"I know; I was there."

"...You were?"

"Yep."

"So you heard… everything?"

"Yep." Her previously relieved expression slowly turned to one of despair.

"Good! Maybe you can help me get Cordelia to spill the beans!"

"Do I even need to? It's pretty obvious."

"It is?"

"Geez, you're as dense as your husband."

"Chrom? Why are… you…" Her eyes widened in a realization that probably should have happened before Cordelia had pointed out my presence. "No…!"

"You didn't have to point it out…"

"Sorry, but she was going to find out sooner or later; why not get it over with?" I got an angry glare from the redhead.

"For being the first of us in a relationship, you don't know a lot about girls."

"I… know enough."

"Hold on; you and Lon'qu?! Since when?! And how?!"

"This is why I didn't want to tell her…"

"I'm already regretting my decision."

"Good."

"I think I'm just going to leave before I regret it even more."

"Oh, no you don't!" Cordelia went over and barred the way. "You caused this; now accept the consequences."

"Fine. Can I at least suffer while doing something productive?"

"Excuse me!" Our attention returned to Sumia, who was standing with her arms crossed and looking quite cross herself. "I can hear you."

"Sorry; what I meant to ask was if you two would be willing to show me around town. I still don't know all the ins and outs of Ylisstol."

"Ooh! A day out! I'll get my things!" Sumia jumped up and ran out of the room, nearly tripping over her own feet on the way out.

"I suppose I should prepare myself as well." Cordelia turned to leave. "Meet us at the entrance hall in… eight minutes."

"Can do."

I wasn't regretting my decision as much as I thought I would. Don't get me wrong; it was still regrettable, just slightly less so. Sumia and Cordelia spent most of the walk around the city chatting about… I wasn't entirely sure. To be honest, I was staying silent and ignoring most of their conversation, opting to instead admire the architecture of the city. It didn't work all day, though.

"You've been awfully quiet." The somewhat accusing look of Cordelia snapped me back to reality.

"Huh?"

"I said you're awfully quiet; something on your mind?"

"Nothing I want you two to worry about." They exchanged worried glances.

"What do you mean?"

"Like I said; don't worry about it."

"We can't not now!" Sumia made sure to stare directly into my eyes. "What's wrong?"

"It's…" I couldn't stand her stare. "It's something I said to Robin at her party."

"Her party?"

"Yeah… I… I said that I was useless to you guys; just another burden on top of all your troubles."

"What?!"

"You know that's not true."

"Prove to me how. Come on; tell me exactly what I've managed to do to contribute to your cause, because I can't come up with anything! All I've done is run around and be useless, using up your resources and time. And don't say I bring a good attitude or good feelings; I know it's worth something, but not enough to stop people being murdered!" Even the people passing by went silent as I finished my mini-rant. Cordelia and Sumia were staring at me pitifully, their mouths trying to form words that either they couldn't quite say or didn't exist. _You may have overdone it._ "Sorry; got a little carried away there."

"Zack-"

"Greetings, my friends!" Sumia was interrupted by a certain cheery, blue-haired archer headed in our direction. "Is it not a wonderful day?"

"You're in a good mood." I addressed Virion in an attempt at moving the conversation away from me. It seemed to work.

"Who would not be in a good mood when they find two beautiful ladies and a trustworthy companion?"

"You don't have to flirt with them, Virion; they're both spoken for."

"Ah, but I do! It is always the duty of Virion, Archest of Archers, to make any woman feel special."

"Fair point."

"So what brings you three to the grand streets of Ylisstol on this fine day?"

"Boredom, really. Plus, I may need to look a bit better when Olivia's performance comes around."

"Oh ho! Perhaps you could use my input for your clothing choices!" I looked his outfit up-and-down, paying special attention to the neck ruffle and the ridiculously puffed out limbs.

"I don't think your style will suit me."

"That is why we will be looking for yours." He put an arm around my shoulder and began to lead me down the street. "Apologies, ladies, but this is a serious matter. I hope you can forgive us for leaving you behind!" His other arm waved back to Sumia and Cordelia, who seemed to be fairly powerless to stop the noble. Within moments, the two pegasus knights were nowhere in sight as we sped down Ylisstol's many streets, headed for the tailor. "Fear not; we shall have you looking more presentable than I in no time!"

"Thanks, Virion."

"Of course! What kind of comrade would I be if I allowed my brothers-in-arms to doubt themselves?"

"...You heard that, then?"

"I would be quite shocked if the palace didn't hear that."

"Oh."

"Worry not, my boy, we need not dwell on things like that; instead, regale me with some tales of your home. I yearn to hear of some of your world's exploits."

"Alright; I think I can do that."

"Excellent!"

"Where would you like me to start?"

"Tell me of your world's greatest heroes."

"...Hm. I'm not exactly a history buff, but I'll try my best. I suppose I'll start with…"

The rest of the day turned into an exchange of facts. The tailoring still happened; I got some non-strangling clothes to wear to the performance, but all my focus went into remembering and learning facts. I told Virion about the likes of Shakespeare, Tesla, Edison, Joan of Arc, and Ghandi, while he told me stories of Marth, Ike, Roy, Leaf, and Lyn. It was quite the day.

"My, your world is full of strange characters."

"So's yours. I mean, you've got people that took on armies all by themselves; and won!"

"But you have scholars that managed to change minds without touching a sword; such a feat feels impossible here, especially after Emmeryn unfortunately left us."

"Nothing's impossible; some things are just more improbable than others." Virion gave me a skeptical look. "What? It's true. I should be proof enough of that."

"Your words do have some truth to them…"

"I'm glad you agree." By this point, we had already left the shop, our new clothes in tow. I looked down to the garments in my arms. "Thanks for the help today, Virion."

"Thank you for sharing about your home world. I'm certain there are still tales to tell, but that can wait for another time."

"You know, we should get together again before you leave; you make for surprisingly enjoyable company."

"Robin and I have a strategy meeting planned in that time; perhaps you should join us."

"So long as she agrees."

"I have no doubt that she will." The archer glanced up at the slowly darkening sky. "Apologies, but I must leave you to return home; there are some arrangements that I have to make."

"Alright. I'll see you around." We waved to each other and parted ways. Once he was gone, the trip back felt a lot more… desolate. Most people were already inside, not wanting to be caught out at night, leaving the city feeling more like a ghost town than a thriving capital. "Man, I did not notice how eerie this place can be." At that moment, a shadow appeared. Down the other end of the street was a figure hidden in the darkness. It was slowly getting larger; advancing towards me. Normally, I would write this off as just someone walking the streets at night, but this made my blood run cold. I could feel myself freezing in fear as the shadow got closer, but also a sense of… familiarity.

"You." _I know that voice…_ "What are you doing here?"

"Tharja!" Amazingly, knowing who it was actually made me more scared. "You nearly made my heart jump out of my throat."

"Good." The dark mage came into full view, her teeth shining through her menacing grin. I gulped.

"I-I was just on my way back to the palace."

"You mean to Robin?" Her grin evaporated, replaced by a straight face with just enough of a frown that I could feel the anger coming off of her. The fact that her bangs made shadows over her eyes only added to the fear factor.

"Um-"

"Be very careful what you say next."

"Uh… r-right. I-I probably shouldn't say anything at all then, huh?" I tried a grin, which did nothing to brighten her mood.

"You're lucky she likes you."

"What?"

"If she didn't…" her grin returned, "...I wouldn't have a problem with cursing you." I gulped again. "I'll be watching…" Tharja continued on her way, leaving me to release a breath I didn't know I was holding in.

"How is she _that_ scary? It's like she's made of fear or something." I shook myself and looked back towards the palace. "Maybe I shouldn't walk the streets at night anymore; first that weird guy, then her? This place can be wildly unsafe." Leaving that thought for another time, I cautiously made my way back into the royal residence and back to my borrowed bed, on edge the entire time. This really was a strange place to live.

 **A/N: You know, I never knew how fun it could be to write some of these characters; I only hope I'm doing them justice. So, as always, be sure to review or PM with any questions, concerns, comments, or criticisms you have. Until the next chapter!**


	21. Chapter 21

The day had finally arrived: our first date. I was shifting from foot to foot outside of Robin's room, dressed in my new outfit (a blue duster, white shirt and loose-ish brown pants), waiting for her to be ready.

"Come on; we're going to be late!"

"No, we're not!" Her voice was slightly muffled by the wooden door between us. "You are being way too paranoid."

"I just don't like to be late, okay?"

"Is _that_ why we're leaving half an hour earlier than we should?"

"Excuse me, but sarcasm is my thing; don't try and steal it!"

"Sarcasm is everyone's thing."

"Yeah, but I use it more than they do."

"No, you don't." The handle began to turn. "You just _think_ you do. Everyone uses sarcasm about as much as you do. Anyway; I'm ready. Let's go!" I couldn't really say anything at that point because I was staring directly at all my luck poured into one being. Robin was dressed, for the first time ever, in something that didn't even remotely resemble her robe. She had on an elegant red dress that managed to display her deceivingly thin figure, her violet hair was in a small bun instead of its usual ponytail, and she had on midnight black high heels. "Zack?" Her voice snapped me out of it. "Something wrong?"

"Not at all."

"Then why are you waiting? You're the one who thinks we're going to be late."

"No, I just want us to have plenty of time to get there. Better safe than sorry." Robin rolled her eyes. "But yes; if we don't go now, we are going to be late, so," I put an arm out, "shall we?" Her arms snaked around my outstretched one, and we started on our way.

"We're still not going to be late."

"Well, we're going to be late at being early." She sighed.

"You are very troublesome to deal with."

"I prefer 'stubborn'."

"Of course you do."

"Come on; you love it. It's just one of my many charms."

"I admit it does have its… finer moments, but it can also be really annoying."

"Like I said: many charms." I had a feeling that if Robin wasn't holding onto my arm, she would have facepalmed just then.

"You're lucky I like you."

"Funny; Tharja told me the same thing a few days ago."

"Tharja? You went near her?"

"Hey, it wasn't by choice."

"I know the feeling…"

"I'm not sure I want to know, but… why?"

"You don't know? Ever since Tharja joined us, she's been my personal stalker. I don't even know why she does it; it just seems to be part of who she is."

"That's… creepy."

"You don't know the half of it."

"How much farther is it to the theater? Just talking about Tharja's made me feel _so_ much colder."

"We only just left the entrance hall; it's going to be about another ten minutes."

"Great."

"What, you don't want to have a walk with me in the evening?"

"I like that part; I just don't want to have this chill up my spine anymore." Despite how close we already were, Robin managed to move in closer.

"Better?"

"A-a bit." The next minute or two was spent in silence, neither of us really knowing what to change the subject to. It was difficult to tell if it was awkward or not, but it certainly wasn't uncomfortable. "So tell me," I had finally thought of something, "what hobbies have you picked up?"

"Hobbies?"

"Yeah; how have you been keeping yourself busy? I want to know."

"Well… I've found a few books to read, been working on some future strategies, new spells-"

"No, those aren't hobbies. Hobbies are things like knitting or writing or… building with Lego, things like that."

"Lego?"

"I'll explain later."

"Alright. Um…" Her face twisted and turned every which way as she tried to think of something wholly un-work-like that she had done in the past little while. "Oh." Suddenly, her face went bright red. "A-are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes." She sighed.

"I-I've… I've been doing a few rough drawings."

"Really?"

"Th-they're not very good; just a few ideas I had!"

"Why are you so embarrassed about drawing? That's actually a pretty normal hobby."

"I know, but… I don't know, it just doesn't feel like something I should be telling other people, especially with how bad I draw."

"Oh come on; I'm sure you're not any worse than I am. Being worse than me would mean that scribbling on a page is the best you can do."

"But they don't even look real! All my pictures look weird and… not entirely realistic."

"Great!"

"...What?"

"You're creating your own style, and possibly making something that people will appreciate farther down the line. Same thing happened in my world. There was this guy, Picasso, who made really strange and abstract paintings. At the time he made them, nobody wanted them because they thought he was just insane; but by the time I was born, he had become one of the greatest artists in the world."

"...What are you talking about?"

"Huh?"

"I don't really care if I'm good or not; I just care that it's a thing I do."

"Oh. Sorry; I may have over thought that a little."

"That's okay; it was sweet."

"I try." She rolled her eyes again.

"Why _do_ I like you?"

"Because I'm hilarious." She chuckled.

"Maybe."

"Zack; Robin! Over here!" Ahead of us, Lissa, dressed in a minimalistic yet very fancy dress, was bouncing on the spot, Stahl at her side. We waved and moved towards them.

"And you thought it was silly to be so early."

"I still do."

"What are you two doing here so early?" Stahl had decided to join the conversation.

"Probably the same thing as you."

"My brother told you to get here early too? Why'd he do that?" Robin gave me a look.

"I still stand by my timing."

"We're not; he wanted to get here this early."

"Why? There's still another twenty minutes."

"Honestly, Stahl, I don't know why either."

"It's so we could get the best seats-"

"The Shepherds have reserved seating…"

"And see Olivia-"

"We're not allowed backstage before the performance…"

"And to show off to everyone else-"

"None of the Shepherds will really care who got here first…"

"And to bug you."

"...That one's viable."

"Awww, you two are so cute! In a… weird kind of way." Lissa gave a small shiver and moved closer to Stahl, both of them blushing profusely. "Brr, it's cold; can we go in now?" Our small group silently agreed, and we moved inside.

The theater was nothing to write home about; a large enough stage with several rows of semi-comfortable seating with a good view of said stage. It was going for a very 'focus on the actors more than the stage' kind of thing, which was probably a good choice. The Shepherds' seating was quite close to the front; not too close so that we had to crane our necks to see the stage, but not so far away that we couldn't see anything. It's probably worth mentioning that at this point, the theater was empty, which the three I was currently with had no problem reminding me of. Thankfully, though, more people started arriving, and the theater was soon full to bursting. Cordelia and Lon'qu were the first of the other Shepherds to arrive, the two awkwardly walking beside each other. Lissa waved them over, and they sat in their reserved seats.

"Lon'qu! You actually talked to a girl!" When he didn't respond to the princess' comment, she decided to turn her attention to said girl.

"She worth your discomfort, then?" He glanced from me to her, and sighed.

"Yes."

"That's all you can ask for."

"Smiles finally found something worthwhile?" Gaius slumped down in the seat next to me, Maribelle daintily sitting on his other side.

"Shape up, dear; you're slouching."

"Sorry." He readjusted his position to be a bit more presentable. "Better?"

"For now."

"Forget about him; I'm curious about you two. Regretting my advice yet?"

"Laugh it up, Strings; I'm far from regretting this." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Maribelle's expression soften.

"Good."

"How 'bout you? You and Bubbles working out?" I looked over to the woman on my left, who was busy talking with Cordelia and Lissa, Stahl and Lon'qu caught between them.

"I believe so."

"Believe?"

"It's just my way of speech; we're fine, Gaius."

"If you say so." He started to lean back, when there was an audible smack as Maribelle stopped him. In an instant, he was sitting almost perfectly straight.

"We're better than you," I chuckled. He gave me a glare, but didn't say anything. I could only assume that all the words running through his head would have gotten him both a scolding and a beating from Maribelle.

"Am I late?" A very familiar voice said, just behind me.

"Ricken! Hey! No, you've still got a few minutes."

"Phew!" The young mage, who looked strangely off without his hat, wiped his brow. "I thought I was going to miss it!"

"Miss it?" Robin had decided to join us. "Ricken, there's still another ten minutes before it's supposed to start."

"Well, I usually like to be as early as possible; usually about half an hour." I gave Robin a smile, which she rolled her eyes at. "...I get the feeling I'm missing something here."

"Don't worry; he's just being cheeky."

"Oh. Okay."

"Hey," I suddenly noticed there was something missing, "I thought you told me you had a date; I don't see one with you."

"S-she's here. She's just… uh… in the show."

"You mean…?" His face went red. "The dancer and the mage. What a story that's going to make."

"I have to admit, I am curious to see it unfold."

"C-can we move on to something else?"

"Like what?"

"How about that?" I followed Ricken's finger to the two figures now entering the theater. The crowd was parting like the Red Sea as Chrom and Sumia, dressed in the most extravagant outfits I had ever seen, strode towards us, hand-in-hand. Were it not for Chrom's embarrassed expression and Sumia's occasional tripping, they would have looked like they actually _did_ belong with the upper class. Those two coming over and taking their seats near the Shepherds seemed to be the cue for the show to start. An announcer ran on stage, paper in hand.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he called, "I welcome you to our first performance of the year! Tonight we have plenty of routines for you from performers new and old! Before we begin, I would like to welcome the Shepherds," he gestured to us, "and the Exalt and Queen," his hand moved to indicate Chrom and Sumia, who both waved, "to our humble theater. We are delighted that you chose to come here tonight. Now, without further ado, on with the show!" He bowed to a raucous applause and walked offstage. I leaned over to whisper to Robin.

"Excited?"

"A little. It is my first time going to a play."

"I just hope these guys are good." Several people came on stage, signalling the show's start. "Here we go."

The show was a spectacle to behold. There were feats of daring that people back on my world wouldn't even try attempting without safety gear, skits that rivalled that of Saturday Night Live, dramatic performances that would put most movies to shame, and, of course, Olivia's dance. The twists and turns of the thin dancer's performance mesmerized all, her body moving in ways that probably shouldn't be possible, yet she moved so fluidly through those motions that none of it felt unnatural. Olivia's dance was the second-to-last performance of the night, and as she curtsied her way off the stage, the announcer came back.

"Please give a hand for Olivia, Ferox's own star dancer!" There was a roaring applause. "Normally, this would be the end of our show, but we have one final request from a very special audience member. So sit back, and enjoy our miniature play!" He walked off to more applause, and the actors assembled themselves onstage. The costumes they were wearing looked very… familiar. The reason of why soon made itself clear as the first thing that happened was one of the actors fell onto another.

"Hey, that's… that's us!" I could feel Robin shift in her seat next to me. "Did you…?"

"Maybe…"

"Why?"

"You were doubting yourself so much, and I just wanted to show how you aren't a burden on us; you're one of us."

"R… really?"

"Really." I had no words. Nobody, and I mean nobody, had ever done anything to this kind of scale for me before. Because I was feeling a little bit down, Robin had decided to make an entire play just to cheer me up. I was sat, staring at her for the longest time, unable to speak. Figuring that words probably weren't going to do it, I put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. She put her head on my shoulder, and we watched the past year plus' events unfold.

I still couldn't speak on our way back to the palace. Although it was well done, the performance itself didn't even seem to matter; the fact that she had gone to such lengths, just for me, was unbelievable.

"You okay?" Robin had a very worried look. "You haven't spoken since the final act started."

"No, I'm… I'm fine. Just… just a lot running through… uh… running through my head."

"I can tell; you don't usually stumble your speech so much."

"Y-yeah…" There was another few-minute-long silence as we entered the palace and started venturing down the halls. "I-I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"For making you worry so much. All my talk of being a burden and not really mattering here must have scared you a lot to make you go and dedicate a play to me."

"Hey, I'm allowed to worry; we are a couple, after all."

"Yeah, but-"

"No buts; you needed this."

"If you say so."

"I know so." We stopped next to a door. "Well, I guess we part ways here."

"Please don't say it like that; you make it sound like we're never going to see each other again."

"Okay, okay," she chuckled. "Oh, one more thing before you go."

"Hm?"

"It's a surprise; you need to close your eyes."

"Two surprises in one night?" Everything went dark as my eyelids shut. "How… surprising."

"Shut up." There was a small laugh in her voice.

"Why should I?"

"Because of this."

"Because of wh-" I didn't have to shut up, because she cut me off with a liplock; a real, actual, first kiss. Remember when I said that the brief brushing of mouths we once had was one of the best moments of my life? Well, this was ten thousand times better. It was, of course, a bit awkward at first since we had absolutely no clue as to how to do this kind of thing, but it soon turned into something that felt as natural as breathing. After what I really wanted to be an eternity later, but was really only about thirty seconds, Robin drew back.

"Now we're even."

"E… even?"

"You gave me a birthday, I gave you a play; you gave me a kiss, I gave you one."

"...Does that mean you have to owe me a favour before that can happen again?"

"We'll see. Goodnight."

"'Night…" She closed the door between us, and I began to walk off. Before I got too far, though, I heard a small noise from a nearby, should-be-empty room. Curious, I went in and surveyed the dark area. "Hello?" There was a slight rustling from somewhere in the room. A thought crossed my mind. "Tharja? Is that you?" _Hold on; if it was Tharja, wouldn't there be a cold sweat running down my back?_ "Who's there?" Getting no response, I moved farther into the room. "Lissa? If that's you, this prank isn't very good." Out of the darkness, a figure tried to run through me and to the door, but I was ready. It seemed they weren't expecting me to have knowledge of military form and the strength to back it up, causing them to almost bounce back off of me. Before they could try again, I grabbed them by the shoulders to stop them in place.

"Letgoletgoletgoletgo!" It was a girl's voice, but not one I had heard before.

"Who are you?" When she didn't answer, I moved us so that I could see her face. I was a little shocked when I saw her shock of dark blue hair tied into twin ponytails very similar to Lissa's, only smaller. Her blue eyes were locked on me with both intrigue and anger, her silly yet serious expression only emphasizing the conflict. "Who _are_ you?"

"Nobody! Now let me go!"

"I can't do that until you at least tell me what you're doing here."

"Rrrr…"

"Are you growling at me?"

"...I'm not telling." I sighed.

"What if I tell you who I am? Would that help you open your mouth?"

"...Maybe…"

"Well, my name's Zack." Her eyes widened. "I'm a Shepherd. I'm also from another dimension. Now, who are you?"

"You're…"

"Oh. Sorry. I'm from another world. I keep forgetting that people don't know what a dimension is…"

"Right! That's what I was going to say!" Her sweating said otherwise, but I decided to let it slide. "My… my name is Cynthia."

"Good. Now, what are you doing here?"

"...Um…"

"I'm not going to hurt you, just tell me why you're in the palace."

"I was looking for someone…"

"You were? Who?"

"...My mother…" I could see tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"What's her name? If you tell me, maybe I can help you find her."

"NO!" The sudden volume of her voice made me jump. "I-I-I mean, no thanks. I-I've already looked through the castle, and she's not here. Can I go now?"

"Sure. If you change your mind, though, just tell the guards that you know me."

"O-okay. Thanks, mister."

"It's Zack."

"R-right." She sped out the door and down the hall, nearly toppling over a maid in the process.

"What an insane night. First a play, then a kiss, now her? Man, this place is lively." I shook my head, and continued my way through the palace, wondering what could possibly happen next.

 **A/N: ...Did I do that part right? I hope I did it right. I also hope this chapter satisfied; there were a few things that happened in it. Anyway, as always, be sure to review or PM with any questions, concerns, comments, or criticisms you may have. Until the next chapter!**


	22. Chapter 22

The day had me feeling so drained; and it wasn't even lunchtime yet. Between Frederick's way too intense training, the time I had spent with Miriel trying to find another way back to my world, Tharja being in a very bad mood that day, and Vaike arm wrestling anyone he could find, I was nearly out of energy. And yet, I wasn't at all upset. Maybe a little scared because of Tharja and Vaike, but I was actually really enjoying the morning. After skirting around Panne, who seemed to be in a bad mood that day, I made it back to my room, kicked off my shoes, and flopped onto my bed smiling. Smiling until I made a small realization.

"I don't have plans today…" I slowly sat upright. "Maybe Robin has some ideas." I bounced up off my bed and ventured back out into the hallway, headed for the tactician's room. As I got closer, I could hear the sound of pen scratching furiously against paper coming from the open door. I poked my head around the frame and spotted a purple-haired figure hunched over a desk, several ridiculously high piles of paper cluttering the immediate surroundings. "...Robin?" She gave a small grunt to indicate she had heard me. "Busy day?" I took a step into the room.

"Yep."

"Guessing you don't want me here then."

"You can stay; just don't bother me."

"I think I can manage that. I'll be back."

"Before you go, a question."

"Hm?"

"Why don't you have any footwear?"

"Wh- how did you even know?! You haven't lifted your head once!"

"The sound."

"...Oh yeah. Well, it just feels comfortable. You haven't lived until you've gone barefoot." Even though she wasn't looking, I wiggled my toes to emphasize it.

"Sure," she chuckled.

"Okay, back in a minute." I sped back to my room, grabbed a book and my guitar, and came back to Robin's. I looked around a little hesitantly, noting the very few sitting options, before deciding to just sit on her bed. "Need a bit of background music?"

"So long as there's no singing."

"What, my voice not good enough for you?"

"No, it's just distracting."

"It was a joke; lighten up a bit, will you?"

"I know; just thought I'd spoil your fun."

"Thanks." I placed my hands on the instrument, and started playing. So, for around the next two hours, we sat in comfortable tandem; Robin whittling away at the pile of work Chrom had given her, and me practicing my musical skills with varying success. In the middle of a shockingly awful rendition of So Long and Thanks for all the Fish, there was a loud clattering as Robin threw down her quill and scraped her chair across the stone floor.

"Done!"

"That was surprisingly fast."

"Thank you, but it was mostly just signing things. Honestly, listening to your music helped me concentrate."

"Really? Then would you like to hear one of my favourite songs? It's got lyrics."

"Of course." She got up from the wooden chair, took a few steps, then flopped onto the bed beside me. "You promise it's good?"

"It's great." Clearing my throat, partially for effect, I adjusted my hands so that they were on the right chords, and began playing.

 _"I first saw you at Cerulean Gym_

 _Just out_

 _A rocky tunnel;_

 _It was the way you laugh_

 _And the way that you swim_

 _I knew_

 _That you'd be trouble_

 _We made such a big splash, big crash_

 _You'll be my tidal wave;_

 _Breaks me down like an avalanche_

 _Then we_

 _Go dance in the rain_

 _Misty_

 _You're gonna miss me_

 _When I'm gone;_

 _I'm gone for-"_

"Who's Misty?" I sighed.

"The girl in the song."

"Girl?"

"Don't get jealous; she's a fictional character. Plus, I didn't even write the song."

"I'm not jealous."

"Sure." Ignoring the glare she gave me, I attempted to resume.

 _"I'm gone forever;_

 _Don't tease me,_

 _My heart is freezing_

 _'Cause you whipped up_

 _This icy weather_

 _I'm talking in my sleep_

 _This story won't star me_

 _And you feel_

 _Sheer-"_

"What's with all the water and ice?"

"What's with the need to interrupt?"

"Sorry, I'm just a bit confused."

"She just has a lot of water and ice association, okay? Can I get back to the song now?" She nodded.

 _"And you feel_

 _Sheer cold to me;_

 _Misty_

 _You're gonna miss me_

 _When I'm gone,_

 _Gone forever;_

 _And I'll never reco-"_

"Pardon the intrusion," a certain blue-armoured knight burst through the door, "but I have a matter to discuss with you." I gave a resigned sigh and put my guitar down. It's going to become one of those days, isn't it?

"What's the matter, Frederick?" Robin, a bit less distracted than me, voiced the other, less pessimistic question I had in my head.

"Milord asked me to see how you both are faring because of your absence at lunch."

"We missed lunch?"

"Ah. That explains why I feel so hungry." I looked down at my stomach, only to have it growl at exactly the same time.

"Worry not; I anticipated this would be the case, and brought some of the remaining food."

"You did?"

"Indeed. Milord and Lady Sumia would be fraught with worry if either of you were to become unwell, and we can't have that."

"Of course," I sighed while hanging my head, smiling. "That's Frederick for you."

"You can tell Chrom and Sumia that we're fine, aside from being a little hungry."

"Excellent! I shall inform milord immediately. Take care, Lady Robin; Sir Zack." And, with a speed that should be impossible for a man of his stature, Frederick vanished to go and inform Chrom and Sumia. His disappearance revealed two maids with full tray tables had been standing behind him, waiting for the man to get out of the doorframe. In nearly the exact same amount of time it had taken Frederick to leave, the two maids put the tables near us, closed the door, and disappeared down the hallway.

"Wow." I looked from the food to the door and back several times. "I think that's the fastest I've ever seen anyone move."

"I can't argue there. So, lunchtime?"

"Lunchtime." We dove into the surprisingly incredible food, holding various little conversations between mouthfuls. Then, when we had stuffed ourselves silly, we sat back-to-back and read for a while, just sharing in the silence. Eventually, I got back to practicing my guitar, and Robin messed around with my hair while I did so. I didn't bother asking why; if she enjoyed it, then who was I to refuse? When dinner rolled around, the two maids from before barged into the room, carrying more food with them. They told us that it was courtesy of Chrom, as he didn't want to interrupt whatever it was we were doing. At the 'whatever we were doing' part of the maids' explanation, Robin's face turned completely red, showing exactly which gutter her mind had gone to. When they left, the little routine repeated itself for the most part; talking through food, reading, then Robin messing with my hair. Soon enough we had both fallen asleep, unfortunately in a position that would be the basis for a lot of teasing on Lissa's part, but in the moment it felt perfect. Actually, that whole day had felt perfect. There was nobody to interrupt, no extra training to do, no strategies to devise; it was just perfect.

It was just us.

 **A/N: Hey guys, it's been awhile! Sorry this took so long, but my computer was acting up, there are a few things going on at home, and just a general lack of inspiration happened on this one. I wanted to do just a day of our two mains in a room together, but silence is surprisingly hard to write, so this took longer than I thought. And kudos to anyone who knows the song! If you didn't it's called 'Misty' by NateWantsToBattle, possibly my favourite singer ever. Anyway, enough of that; be sure to leave any questions, concerns, comments, or criticisms in a review or PM. Until the next chapter!**


	23. Chapter 23

It was another lazy Wednesday in the kingdom of Ylisse. An entire year had now passed since the war with Plegia had ended, and we were all getting quite used to the relative quiet. Sure, Risen attacks were still happening, but they were scattered and small. With all this free time, most of the Shepherds found themselves with nothing to do... aside from Robin and myself. At the moment, we were sitting back-to-back on her bed, reading our favourite books. We would occasionally give the other a hilarious or intriguing line from our respective stories, but other than that it was silent. Well, until a princess burst through the door in a state of pure panic.

"Guys! Hurry! There's a problem just outside the city!" Before we could ask any questions, Lissa was gone, flying down the hall in the direction of the barracks. We looked to each other before bolting out the door after her, extremely concerned as to what could be happening. Without even stopping, we sped through the barracks and grabbed some gear in anticipation of what was going to be waiting for us just outside the city's walls. Darting through the rapidly emptying streets, the two of us headed for the battalion of guards posted outside one of the gates. We arrived to find Chrom, all the Shepherds behind him, gazing fearfully at something before them.

"Chrom! What's wrong?" Robin was the first to reach him.

"That." The blue-haired Exalt pointed towards a point in the distance with Falchion.

"What? I don't see anything."

"Neither... do... wait wait wait! There! Squint and you can see it!" Just beyond where I was pointing, the sky looked as if it were being warped by heat, but this felt... different. Instead of waves of heat coming off of a surface, this looked more like a pulse of distortion coming from thin air.

"It was a lot bigger just before you got here." Chrom's knuckles had gone white from the force he was gripping Falchion with. "It might be going away, but still..."

"I was knocked out when I fell through the dimensional rift the first time, but I have a strong suspicion that this is something very similar."

"Why's that?"

"I... I'm not sure. I just... have this feeli-" I was cut off by a loud crack that echoed across the empty field. All eyes returned to the distorted point, which had just gotten a whole lot bigger and a whole lot more visible. It now looked like ripples on a calm lake, the ripples growing bigger and faster as time went on. In addition, there was heat beginning to come off of the spot as if there were a star being formed before our eyes. Arcs of plasma began to erratically spark off of the spot, a few of them scorching the ground incredibly close to some of the Shepherds' feet. The center of the ripples started to become less transparent, the landscape once visible behind it getting foggier by the second. Then, with another enormous crack, something materialized. It started off incredibly small, nearly invisible to the human eye, but began to rapidly expand into a golden ring filled with a distorted, shifting purple energy that somehow seemed like a pool of the same plasma that was still arcing off of the ring. It continued to expand until it was several stories tall, and then it just... floated there. The immense arcs of plasma and winds generated by such an incredible force rendered any form of conversation I wanted to have with any of the Shepherds completely inaudible. After around a minute of the enormous ring just sitting in the air, a thought struck me. _Hang on, that looks a bit like..._

"Something's coming through!" One of the onlooking guard's shouts interrupted the thought, and, yet again, all eyes focused on a spot in the swirling purple mass. Near the top of the ring, something white started to come through. As more of it was revealed, I recognized the shape.

"No way!"

"What is it?" Robin tore her eyes off of the emerging entity to questioningly look at me.

"Everybody, put your weapons down! It won't hurt you!"

"But what _is_ it?!"

 _"Greetings."_ A voice rang through my head, and presumably everyone else's as they all looked around in confusion as to where it came from. I knew. _"I am looking for one who should not belong here."_

"Who are you?" Chrom seemed to have figured it out, and was looking up at the towering white creature.

 _"I am called Arceus. Now, I ask again; who among you does not belong?"_ I was in such disbelief at the fact that I was staring at the llama-God of Pokemon itself that I barely registered what it had said. It felt like I was dreaming as I walked forward, hand raised, attempting to signal the enormous white, golden-ringed creature.

"I think... I think you mean me..." The creature's elongated head looked down at me in a surprisingly graceful way. I felt the power of this being as its green-ringed eyes stared into my own, urging me to go on. "I'm not... I'm not originally from here. I'm from another dimension."

"Then you are indeed the one I seek."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm ecstatic that you're here and that you actually exist, but why are you here?"

 _"All shall be revealed soon enough."_ Arceus turned and looked expectantly back at the portal.

"Zack?" I turned my gaze from the God-like being to face Robin, who had a mixture of confusion and worry etched across her face. "What's going on?" I took a deep breath.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I can tell you a few things. First, that big, white creature just kind of floating there; you know, the one with what looks like a rounded fence around its middle?" I pointed to Arceus, who was calmly watching the golden ring, "That is Arceus, an immensely powerful being from another world."

"Another world? Like where you came from?"

"Yes and no. Yes because it's from a different world, and no because it's not from my world."

"Then how do you know what it is?"

"Well, where I come from, it's a sort of character in a series of... stories?" _I don't think she'd understand 'video games' all that well._ "Anyway, as to why it's here, I'm... not entirely sure. I know it has something to do with me going across dimensions, but other than that, I have no clue." I looked up at the big creature, who was beginning to move back from the portal, seemingly trying to give it a bit of space. "I think something's happening!"

 _"Please remain calm."_ The divine creature's voice echoed through our heads once again. _"I have asked for help regarding this particular matter."_ Just as I was about to ask Arceus what it was referring to, another head began to poke through the portal. It looked very similar to Arceus, only this one was blue. As more of it emerged through the portal, we could see that it was actually very different from Arceus. Instead of looking like a llama, it instead seemed like a wingless dragon with a metal fan on its back. Streaks of metal were also present across its body, and there was a gem in its chest that looked somewhat like a diamond. It landed on the ground with enough force to make us stagger. Then, not two seconds later, another creature began to emerge from the portal. This one looked more like a white lizard standing on its hind legs with wings behind its shoulders. There was a substantial amount of purple integrated into its limbs, and two purple pearl-like gems in its shoulders. Again, it landed with such force that we all had to struggle to maintain our balance. Once both creatures had fully exited the portal, Arceus turned around to face us. Behind the trio, the portal slowly began to close with much less noise than it had arrived with.

"...And those?" Robin asked at nearly a whisper.

"The blue one is Dialga, a being that can control time, and the other is Palkia, a being that can control space." She got an intensely stunned look.

"They can do what?"

"Control time and space." I could almost hear the awe that spread across the Shepherds, seeing how they were all listening to me very intently. "But what are you three doing here?"

 _"We are here to apologize."_ Arceus again spoke to us.

"Apologize? For what?"

 _"Nearly two of this world's years ago, Dialga and Palkia were locked in fierce battle. Normally, they refrain from using their universe-altering abilities due to the general misfortune that has caused in the past. They seemed to have forgotten what happened the last time the Roar of Time and Spacial Rend collided, and made it happen again. However, instead of merely bringing something from the world we oversee into their fight, this collision sent a ripple across the fabric of reality, reaching several other dimensions. One of these ripples caused you,"_ Arceus looked directly at me, _"to fall out of your world and into this one."_ As the deity finished, the two beings of space and time next to it gave out small cries that still shook me to the bone; their sorrowful tone indicating that it was some form of regret or apology. _"And we are here to send you back."_

"...S-s... send me back?"

 _"Indeed. We saw you fall through dimensions, and thought it our duty to help. Dialga attempted to stop you before you crossed into another reality by using a Roar of Time to try and halt you in the space between spaces, but it was too late, and the Roar only grazed you."_

"Oooohhhh; that's how that happened!"

"I'm lost."

"You are? It's actually really simple." Robin gave me a very exasperated look. "You see, Dialga was trying to stop me just before I crossed over into this world by stopping time around me. It was a little too late, though, and only some of the time-stopping worked; that's why my clothes keep regenerating. They're time-locked!"

"Uh..."

"Basically, they're just trapped in the same state they were when Dialga tried to stop me."

"Okay, that makes sense. Why didn't you say that first?"

"I did!" She rolled her eyes, but didn't bother to argue further. "But... that means I had to be wearing this when I went across dimensions, and I'm sure I wasn't. Arceus, do you know what happened?" The near-God before us shook its head. "Hm."

 _"So... do you wish to return home?"_

"Home, huh...?" I felt a familiar hand intertwine with my own. Her grip was so intense I was afraid that I might lose my fingers from reduced circulation. _What do I do? This is what I've been looking for the entire time I've been here, and yet..._ "How long can you keep the portal open?" Arceus blinked, seemingly taken aback by the question. The being leaned in close, terrifyingly large eyes staring straight back into my own. Its head went back with what I could only assume was a smile.

 _"I believe I understand, but I do not know. You will have to inquire of the maker of the portal."_

"Wait, it wasn't you?" Arceus shook its head. "Then who-"

 _"Boo!"_ I reeled back as a small, purple, horned face burst into my vision. It had mischievously green eyes, was cracking an enormous grin, its arms were floating just off its legless body, it had several golden rings on its torso, arms, and horns, and its voice sounded a lot more childish than Arceus'. _"Were you surprised?"_

"H...Hoopa?" Its smile grew so wide that it was actually forced to close its eyes. "Guess I should have expected that..." Hoopa then did a back flip and floated next to Arceus' head, really emphasizing just how big the deity was. "So, uh... how long can you keep the portal open?"

 _"Hm... ten minutes."_

"...That's it?"

 _"Yep."_ I looked around at all the people standing nearby. The castle guards: some of which I knew by first name. The Shepherds: the friends I had made travelling this new world I found myself in. Robin: the girl I had fallen for. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, then looked back up at Hoopa.

"Let's do it." Hoopa smiled.

 _"Whoo! Portal time!"_

 _"Indeed. For this, however, you require more power."_ From somewhere behind Arceus, a bottle that looked like a ring with a long neck floated down towards me. It placed itself gently in my hands, the Hoopa-like stopper staring at me. _"Open it, if you please."_

"This... is... awesome..." I took out the stopper, and pools of purple energy began to flow out of the end like a river. The energy curved up and surrounded Hoopa, who was still smiling. As the purple fog around Hoopa got bigger, the creature inside of it expanded alongside it, the tiny little laugh that was ringing through our heads slowly getting deeper and deeper. After what seemed like far too long, the energy dispersed and floating in the once tiny Hoopa's place was a genie-like figure that rivaled the size of Arceus itself. Its six arms were floating around its body, seemingly getting used to its new form. Its pointed tail flicked around in much the same manner, and the spatial hole in its chest was constantly warping, just as the portal the creatures had arrived with had been doing. The only thing to tell that the now-terrifying Hoopa Unbound was once a cute, happy little creature was the expression on its toothy face.

 _"Ha ha ha! Hoopa feels good!"_

 _"If you would, this one wishes to travel."_ Hoopa did what could be considered a small bow to the deity, and pointed to a spot in the air. One of the golden rings around its wrists detached and grew in size until it was big enough to walk through, and the distortion inside it started appearing. As soon as the sky through the ring was no longer visible, Dialga and Palkia moved forward. Dialga let off an ear-splitting roar, shooting a shifting beam out of its mouth directly at the portal, while Palkia's arm lit up with purple energy, which it promptly shot at the portal. The two attacks collided just as they touched the portal, sending waves of intense energy out from the golden ring, nearly knocking me down. Plasma arced from the newly-created dimensional rift, almost hitting Robin. Arceus did a wave with its head, urging me to go through. I took a deep breath, took a single step, and was stopped by the hand gripping my own. I looked to see Robin, grasping me tightly, with tears starting to form.

"Aren't... aren't you going to say... say... g... goodbye?"

"That's what I'm doing." She looked confused for a brief second, then her eyes widened. "Actually, can you come with me? I may need help keeping it together..." I could hear my voice crack.

"Y... yeah. Of course..." She sidled next to me, still tightly clinging my hand. We gave each other one last look, then stepped through the portal.

It was a blinding swirl of colour and confusion that greeted us, which thankfully only lasted for a few seconds. When we were on the other side, after the slight dizziness that was probably only natural, I gasped at where we were. We were right outside my house. Another deep breath.

"You don't have to do this. You can stay here if you want."

"I know."

"...If you're sure." _I've never been more unsure of anything in my life..._

"Okay. Let's go." We walked the few feet to the front door, and I hesitantly knocked.

"Coming!" A muffled voice called from inside. I almost wanted to shout that it was me, but my sense of drama told me not to. "Yes? How can... I..." My mother was standing in the open door frame, brown eyes staring right at me through her glasses. "...Zack...?"

"Hi, Mum..."

"Oh my God, Zack!" She slammed into me, tears streaming down her face. "Where have you been?! We spent over two years worrying about you! Why are you only back now?! Who is this girl with you?! Oh, I don't care; I'm just glad you're back!"

"It's... it's good to see you too, Mum..." Again, my voice cracked, and I hugged her back. After around thirty seconds, she released me.

"I have to go get your father and sister!" She darted back into the house, leaving Robin and I standing just outside the door.

"So that was your mother?"

"Yeah..."

"She seems nice."

"She is..."

"Hang on, she said it was over two years, didn't she? It's been almost exactly two years, hasn't it?"

"Time must move a bit differently across the two dimensions; which means we actually have less time here than we thought."

"Do you still want to go through with this?"

"Yes."

"Okay..." At that moment, my Dad and little sister came rushing through the open door.

"Zack!" They simultaneously yelled as they crashed into me, almost making me lose my balance.

"Hi..." I squeezed both of them back.

"Where have you been?" My Dad asked as he came out of the group hug.

"That's... a bit of a long one."

"We've got some time."

"But we," I indicated to myself and Robin, "don't."

"What do you mean?" My Mother's expression was breaking my heart.

"...I'm going back."

"Back? Back where?" I looked down at my little sister, who was still clinging to me.

"Again, difficult to explain." The pleading looks of my family wore me down. "But, I guess I can try. First, let me introduce you. This is Robin; my girlfriend."

"Uh... Hi... it's nice to finally meet you." They all looked at her somewhat confusedly.

"She's from another world. Not in the, like, 'she's super amazing' kind of way; although she is that too; she's from an alternate dimension... the same one I've been stuck in for the past two years." The three of them just stared. "I know it sounds unbelievable, but it's true. And I'm... I'm going back. With her."

"But... why?" My Mum asked after a few moments of silence.

"Because it's what I've always dreamed of. I've always been told to follow my dreams, and the world I've been living in is almost exactly what I've been dreaming of my whole life. Plus... she's there." I grabbed Robin's hand again, which had been forced away when I was tackled with hugs. She smiled at me, and looked over at my family.

"I know you all need him here, but we need him just as much." They went silent. Everything we had just said must have been running through their minds, trying to rationalize itself out. It all sounded so insane; they might just figure it was Stockholm Syndrome.

"So... are you going to come back and visit?" My Dad spoke up.

"We... we can't. This was a one-time trip."

"Then... then this is the last time we'll see you?"

"Y-yeah." I had managed to remain mostly composed this whole time, but I was starting to break. I could feel the tears forming at what I had just confirmed. Before anything else could be said, a loud crack echoed through the surrounding area. Robin and I looked at each other before running back to the portal, which seemed to be the cause of the noise. The sky surrounding the golden ring had started to shatter like glass, and the ring itself was slowly getting smaller.

"Zack? We have to go."

"Y... yeah..." I turned back to my family, who were standing there, wide- and teary-eyed. "I-I'm sorry; I-I have to... I can't... I... I-I..." I could taste the salty water running down my face. All three of them came up and hugged me as hard as they could, sobs coming from them as well. Another loud crack burst from the portal.

"Sorry; we have to leave now." I was released from the crushing hug. "It was nice to meet all of you..." My parents looked over at Robin, tears still in their eyes.

"You... you take care of him, alright?"

"Of course." The two of us stood next to the portal, that last image of my family etching itself into my mind.

"Goodbye..." We both took a step back, and entered the rift. In a matter of seconds, we were back in Ylisse, the entire Ylissean military looking on in both fear and wonder. I could hear the portal collapse behind us, and saw the ring return to Hoopa's arm.

"What happened?" Chrom came up to us and placed a hand on my shoulder. I couldn't speak. Everything I had just been bottling in so that I could actually say something in front of my family came out, making me collapse onto my knees, tears falling to the grass.

"I don't think we'll be able to talk about it for a while." Robin knelt down and helped me up by the shoulder. "A lot happened."

"I see. As long as you're both okay."

"'Okay' isn't the word I would use, but we're unharmed." A sound akin to someone clearing their throat rang through my head. All eyes turned to Arcues.

" _We shall be leaving; there are many more errors to correct."_ Dialga and Palkia turned around, and left through the ring that they had entered from, which was surprisingly still stable. Arceus also turned to leave, but stopped just before the portal, looking back to me. _"No matter what happens, the choice you have made was yours. Do your best to remember that."_ With that, the God-like being traversed the space between dimensions, leaving only Hoopa with us. The enormous genie looked down at me, seemingly trying to decide something. One of its arms swooped down to pick up the bottle its power had been imprisoned in while another one reached towards me. The same energy that had given the creature its current form began to engulf its body again, returning to the bottle; but before it was all gone, one of Hoopa's hands made contact with my necklace, giving off a small glow before all of the power was gone. I looked the now-small creature in the eyes, still unable to talk, but trying to convey my question. Hoopa merely smiled and returned through its ring, which collapsed with the sound of a thunderclap. After that, it was totally silent. The hum that the dimensional rift had been making was now gone, and in its place was the rustling of the grass in the small breeze. One by one, the Shepherds and guards went back to the city, still in slight shock of what had just happened. Soon it was just Robin and myself, staring at a point in the sky.

"Come on; let's go home before it gets cold."

"Y-yeah... let's go home..." We walked, arm in arm, back to Ylisse; back to where we belonged.

 **A/N: Uh... Hi, guys... Sorry it's been so long, but I had some problems with the computer I store this story on, and had a very difficult time finding a replacement part (my computer's kinda old). So... yeah. Sorry about the wait, but it was unavoidable.**

 **Anyway, onto stuff about the chapter! I know that most, if not all, of you are thinking that this was a cop-out; which is fine, you're allowed to take it that way, but I did plan things to happen like this from the beginning. It's a bit difficult to foreshadow something when you're in first-person and that thing is taking place on another plane of existence. Take it for what you will, but it's a part of the story now, so... deal with it (but don't worry, the more... out there parts will only be mentioned a few times). I tried my best by making the most references to where it's from, and I only hope it was good enough.**

 **Despite all that, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you have any questions, comments, concerns (which will probably be a few), or criticisms (probably even more), don't be afraid to leave a review or give me a PM. Until the next chapter!**


	24. Chapter 24

It had been about a month since the... incident. I was busy working on a little project of mine that had been inspired by my breif trip back, 'was' being the operative word. The idea I had wasn't going exactly as planned, so I was taking a step back, quite literally, and trying to view it from a different angle.

"Hm... I think that's right..."

"What is?"

"Gah!" I nearly dropped the wrench I was holding. "Chrom! Geez, give a guy a little warning when you're standing behind him."

"Sorry," he chuckled, "didn't mean to startle you."

"It's okay; could probably use an outside opinion."

"On what?"

"My little project here." I indicated to a mess of pipes and valves sitting in the middle of the courtyard I had decided to build it in. "Do you think it'll work?"

"Work?"

"Yeah; it's supposed to be plumbing." I saw the confused look on his face and mentally slapped myself. "It's supposed to be a way to move water long distances without using a chain of people with buckets or moving large barrels of it."

"That's genius!"

"Not really; I'm just trying to remember how it works from my original world. I never really looked into it, so I'm just going off of little things I know about science. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be working; maybe you've got some ideas?" Chrom walked around the structure, poking and prodding at several points. He came and stood back beside me for a second, hand on his chin in thought, before shrugging and giving me a smile.

"No idea."

"Great."

"Have you asked Miriel? She probably has a much better chance of fixing it than I do."

"I thought about it, and then didn't want to think about it any more."

"I see."

"Well, now that you know what I'm doing, what are you up to? I know that the Exalt doesn't just pop in for a visit."

"I had some free time, and decided to go see all of the Shepherds."

"Uh-huh."

"You don't believe me?"

"Not when every single member of the Shepherds have been following me around for the past month; heck, during the first week, Robin was practically glued to me. You all know that I'm not going to disappear, right?"

"We're just... worried that you might be regretting your choice."

"Chrom, I'm fine. If I really was regretting it, I would have at least told Robin. Speaking of whom, you didn't pawn your work off on her again to come spy on me, did you?" He rubbed the back of his head. "You've got to stop doing that."

"I'm sorry, she's just... better at that kind of thing than me."

"She's not going to take care of everything for you your entire reign, you know."

"I know."

"And she needs a break every once in a while."

"I know," he sighed.

"You're going to have to learn how to do all the paperwork at some point."

"I know!"

"And-"

"Yes, Zack, I get the point." I had a stupidly large grin plastered on my face.

"See? I'm fine so long as I can tease all of you."

"Don't you miss your family?"

"Of course I do; it still hurts when I think about them... But, I can cope. Plus, however cheesy it sounds, I've got a second family right here." Chrom gave me a pat on the shoulder and chuckled.

"That you do." We stood in silence for a few minutes, until a nearby bird snapped us out of our thoughts.

"You sure you don't have any ideas?"

"About what?"

"The plumbing!"

"Oh; right. I'm sure."

"Darn. Well, I should get back at it then." I sighed. "I know I'm a nerd, but applying science to real life is difficult."

"You fought alongside us in a war; I'm certain you can find a way to make this work."

"Those two things are very different."

"Are they?" He raised an eyebrow, as if he were implying that he was trying to provoke some deeper thoughts.

"Yes." I wasn't really in the right mood for that.

"Well, I actually have a few errands to take care of; I'll see how you're doing on my way back."

"Alright. Later." Chrom gave me a wave as he walked off. "Now that that distraction's over with..." I went over to the various pipes. "Time to take some chances, make some mistakes, and get messy." I chuckled to myself. "Can't believe I just said that." With that, I started to re-work my ideas.

A rumble from my stomach told me that it was probably time to stop experimenting and take a break. Looking up from the mess of metal, the sun had set.

"How long have I been out here?"

"Quite a while, apparently." A certain purple-haired woman walked up to me, wrapping herself in her robe. "You must be cold."

"Not really."

"It's almost winter; how are you not?!"

"I'm from Canada." She gave me an inquisitive look, but didn't bother asking further. "So, been busy today?"

"Like you wouldn't believe. Chrom managed to put just about every single scrap of paperwork he had on me, on top of all the research Miriel asked me to do." She gave a small sigh. "Strangely enough, when he came back from running an errand, he took over the paperwork."

"...I'm going to go ahead and claim partial responsibility for that." She rolled her eyes. "Research for Miriel, huh? What did she want you to look into?"

"A few new spells, a little bit of chemistry, and anything... new... I can remember from visiting your world."

"So you _did_ notice how different it was!"

"Well, of course I did!"

"You didn't say anything about it!"

"If I recall, you were about to say goodbye to the only family you had ever known; not exactly the best time to be asking about the light not made by candles."

"We've been back for a _month!_ You could've said something at any time!"

"You seemed so busy with all the Shepherds; I didn't want to interrupt you..."

"You could not be more wrong about that. If anything, I would have been glad for the interruption; especially if it was from you." _All about the sap today, aren't you?_ I managed to make myself blush slightly at the sarcasm at myself.

"Aawww..." Much more of a taunt than a genuine 'aw', Robin smiled at me. "Anyway; I was told that you've been out here all day, and I figured you must be hungry, so..." She moved aside to reveal a small trolley with still-steaming food on it. "...I thought I'd bring some of the dinner we had."

"I am a bit hungry..." As if on cue, my stomach roared at Robin. "Well, maybe more than a bit."

"Dig in," she chuckled.

"Care to join me?"

"I already ate, but I'll have a little." We wheeled the cart over to a nice spot in the middle of the courtyard, and for the next little while just sit, ate, talked, and just generally enjoyed being there.

We fell asleep, arm in arm, under the night sky, hoping for better days to come.

 **A/N: And here we have a second chapter in the same day as an apology for both being so late and adding in what some may call a 'silly' or 'unnecessary' or 'stupid' or 'enraging' etc. thing that probably nobody saw coming. Hopefully the next chapter will be up much quicker than the previous two were, but life seems to want to get in the way of me writing this. Anyway, as always, if you enjoyed, feel free to leave any questions, concerns, comments, or criticisms in a review or PM. Until the next chapter!**

 **Special thanks to EuclidWriter for suggesting the plumbing idea; that one little thought essentially wrote this chapter.**


	25. Chapter 25

The cold was what woke me. For some reason, my room had managed to drop several degrees while I was asleep, and a very, very cold wind was now blowing through the slightly opened window.

"Why...?" Was all I could mutter in my groggy state. I pulled the blanket tighter around myself, debating whether or not to go get rid of the annoyance. Figuring it would probably be better in the long run, I dragged myself up and out of the bed, the blanket still wrapped around me. I stumbled over to the window, looked outside... and was instantly awake. "No way... no way no way no WAY!" I got changed as fast as I could, bolted through the few twisting corridors to the nearest courtyard, and took a deep breath. A satisfying chill ran through my entire body as I took in the freezing air and smiled at the white flakes scattered through the courtyard. Before I could take in enough to satisfy, my cold musings were interrupted by an enormous green dragon swooping past.

"Whoo-hoo!" Nowi's dragon voice echoed as she did loops through the gently falling snow. "I! Love! Winter!" She spiraled up into the air before landing with a thud in the middle of the courtyard, making the thin layer of snow fly in all directions. "Hiya Zack! I didn't know you liked snow too!"

"Of course I do; who doesn't?" The dragon cracked what I could only assume was a huge grin.

"You wanna play in the snow with me?"

"Sure; give me a minute, though, I've gotta grab some gloves."

"Gloves? Why?"

"I don't know how good manaketes are at heating themselves, but if humans get parts of them too cold, they could lose them forever."

"R... really?"

"Yep. Back in a minute!" I dashed to the barracks; not really sure why since you wouldn't usually expect to find gloves suited for winter in an armoury, and found a little surprise waiting for me. Maribelle was sitting delicately at one of the tables, head deep in a book. I didn't have time to read the full cover before she looked up at me and closed it, but I did manage to catch the word 'Law'.

"Ah. You." Despite me being the reason that she and Gaius were together and her being one of the first people to try and console me after I got back from seeing my family again, she still managed to talk to me with so much disdain that it was almost physical.

"Hey, Maribelle."

"What, pray tell, are you doing in here so early? I have been told that you are one to sleep in."

"I don't sleep when there's snow outside!" Her expression remained neutral. "I'm here to get some decent gloves for said snow."

"I see." Seemingly from nowhere, she pulled out a pair of pink, winter-worthy gloves. "Here."

"Where'd you get those?!"

"A lady is always prepared for any situation."

"Huh." Prying further didn't seem like a good idea. I daintily took the offered gloves, and... "Uh, Maribelle? They don't fit."

"Pardon?"

"They don't fit. My giant gorilla hands are too large for your tiny lady gloves."

"Hm... I suppose they are."

"You aren't supposed to just agree with me about that, you know."

"I may have a solution. Please wait here for a moment." The noble sauntered out of the room before I could even think up a response, and was back just as quickly. "Here." This time she held out a pair of significantly bigger brown gloves.

"Where'd you get these?"

"Gaius."

"Makes sense." I pulled the gloves on. "Although, what doesn't make sense is why you're helping me. Just now it sounded like I was a little bug that you were about to step on, and yet you're helping me with something you would probably look down your nose past the point of absurdity at that little bug for doing. So, why give me the gloves?"

"Believe it or not, I am not the heartless woman you lower-cla- my fellow Shepherds have taken me for. I may not always agree with what any of you do, but I have learned to respect it; or at least tolerate it."

"Huh."

"Now, if you don't mind, I believe you and that dreadfully cheery manakete have a little game to get back to... and I have my studies."

"Thanks, Maribelle!" She gave a dismissive wave as I jogged out of the barracks and back to the courtyard, where there was a noticeably missing dragon. "...Nowi?"

"Here!" She came running out of one of the other entrances dressed in several thousand layers of thick clothing.

"That's going a bit overboard."

"But I don't want to fall apart!"

"Nowi, it takes a lot of cold for someone to start losing fingers; and I mean a _lot_."

"Still..."

"Know what? Don't worry about it; I have an idea that will test the cold limits of a manakete."

"Really?! What is it?"

"Snowball fight!" As quickly as I could, I reached down and grabbed a clump of snow and threw it in the girl's face. While she was blinded, I hid behind a nearby tree, and the war began. We dodged, ducked, dipped, dived, and dodged all around the courtyard, throwing as many snowballs at each other as physically possible. We attempted to get other members of the Shepherds involved several times (mostly because Nowi was cheating by constantly changing from dragon to humanoid), but nobody wanted anything to do with us. Naturally, the battle ended earlier than we both would have liked, but it was a little difficult keeping up interest with only two players, and we moved on to building snowmen. Halfway thorough our first one, a tune popped into my head out of nowhere.

"Hmm hm-hm, mmm mm-mm; hmmm mm-mm, mmm mm-mm-"

"What's that?"

"What, the humming?" She nodded. "It's a song that I really like."

"Ohhhh... what's it called?"

"Well, uh..." Despite the cold, I could feel my face warming up. _Dude, why are you blushing? It just has a word that you should probably say to your girlfriend more often._ "It's... it's called 'Love Like You'."

"Can you sing it? We need some good snowman-building music!"

"I don't know..."

"Pleeeeaaasssee?"

"Um..." The puppy-dragon eyes were irresistible. "Oh, alright." The smile that stretched her face to its limit had already made it worthwhile. "But I warn you; it was originally sung by a girl, so I might not do so good."

"Sing! Sing! Sing!" I cleared my throat.

 _"If I could_

 _Begin to be_

 _Half of what_

 _You think of me_

 _I could do about anything_

 _I could even learn how to love;_

 _When I see_

 _The way you act_

 _Wondering when_

 _I'm coming back_

 _I could do about anything_

 _I could even learn how to love_

 _Like you."_

We had started on the face by the time I finished. Nowi was busy sticking a carrot she had managed to mooch off of Panne earlier directly on a spot much farther left than someone's nose should be.

"I like it! Again!"

"Only if you sing with me."

"But I don't know the words!"

"Nowi. You're a thousand-or-so year-old dragon-girl. I'm fairly certain you can figure something out." She let out a very, very drawn out sigh.

"Okay..."

"Good. Now, from the top. If I could..."

A little while later, I found myself parting ways with the manakete at the kitchen, both of us having just gotten mugs of hot chocolate. I _can't believe how many snowmen that girl made us make; I'm exhausted._ I took a sip of the delicious chocolaty drink. _Time to hit the library._ I made my way through the now very familiar cold building towards the large library, the short walk reminding me, as it always seemed to ever since I lost the chance to go back to my own world, of everything I had been through since I got here. The fights, the friends, the skills, the girl; everything I had hoped an adventure like this would be like. Opening the doors to the library, I came across a bit of a surprise: Ricken was sitting at a nearby table, a very familiar-looking board game sitting in front of him.

"...Ricken?" His head whipped up as if I had just broken him from some kind of trance.

"Hi, Zack! What brings you to the library?"

"Well, I was going to look for a book to read, but what you have in front of you is more interesting."

"Isn't it neat? Robin and Virion designed it before he left to help out with strategy, but it makes a really awesome game!"

"...It's chess."

"Huh?"

"Back where I'm from, we have a game that looks identical to this, and probably works exactly the same, called chess."

"Really? Huh."

"Want to play against me? I don't want to brag, but I'm considered an intermediate player."

"Sure! I want to learn as much as I can about anything you can teach me!"

"It probably won't be much..."

"What was that?"

"I-I said 'I should probably get some lunch'; time kinda got away from me in the snow."

"I can wait until you've gotten something to eat-"

"No, it's alright; let's start playing."

"Okay!" I sat across from him, and we played chess. Unsurprisingly, it was exactly the same as the one back on my world, and somewhat surprisingly, Ricken had picked up on it very quickly. Within a few rounds, our games were neck-and-neck, each of us winning about half. When we got bored of that, we played a few card games then went our separate ways; Ricken to his date with Olivia and me to my room with a book I hadn't read. I got through a few chapters before I dozed off, dreaming of snowmen playing chess and dragons falling apart. All in all, it was a good winter's day.

 **A/N: So, for this chapter, I wanted to have as little of Robin in it as possible. If it feels a bit unorganized, then that's probably why. Anyway, if you enjoyed, feel free to review or PM with any questions, comments, concerns, or criticisms. Until the next chapter!**

 **P.S: Helpful reader, thank you for your concern, but there's no need. I know what people like that are trying to do, and I find it funny more than anything. It's a lot harder to hurt my feelings than that. Oh, and if anyone else sees reviews like that one in the future, be it on their own story or mine, feel free to laugh. See you guys later!**


	26. Chapter 26

The sweat was pouring from Sumia's brow. Her eyes were locked on the table in front of her, hand wavering uncertainly above several spots. She tensed and relaxed in an almost non-stop cycle, looking for the perfect way out. Her brow furrowed, and she moved closer.

"You sure about that, Sumia?" She looked up at me, fear in her eyes. "I don't know that that's the best option..." Her hand began to shake violently, seemingly stuck between two choices. She took a deep breath.

"I can do this..." With a sudden burst of confidence, Sumia reached down and moved her knight forward. "Your move."

"Well done; you ignored my taunt and went with the best move. You now know how to properly play chess. It only took you... what, ten games?"

"...This one makes ten and a half... so far..."

"It was a joke, Sumia; you've actually caught on a lot faster than I did. Honestly, I'm not even that good now."

"Then how come you've won all of our games so far?"

"Because I know the rules."

"Rrr..."

"Did... did you just growl at me?"

"...I'm not telling." The slightest tinge of red flitted across her face. _Strange... I could swear this has happened before..._ "Anyway; it's still your move."

"I know." I had been looking at the board the entire time, and could see a few different good moves, so I was having a tough time deciding. Thankfully, I didn't have to.

"So that's where you two are." We both looked up from the in-progress game to see Robin standing over us, hands on her hips and a smile on her face. "How's the game going?"

"Ah, you have perfect timing! C'mere; I need your help." In a move which, at this point, was entirely natural, I pulled Robin over and sat her down in my lap. "You're the strategist, what's my best move? I can see a few things, but I don't know which one to do."

"Hmm..." She put a hand on her chin, observing the board.

"Hey, that's cheating!"

"What do you mean?"

"You can't have our tactician do all your thinking!"

"Hey, that's the power of dating. If you brought in Chrom, I wouldn't complain."

"Y... bu... he... I..."

"Stop teasing her, Zack."

"But it's so funny to think that I'm teasing the Queen!" Both of them gave me looks that very harshly said 'stop'. "Alright, alright, I'll stop."

"Good. Now, I believe that this is your best move." Robin picked up a bishop and moved it across the board. "Check."

"Thank you." I gave her a peck on the cheek.

"I didn't know you two were acting like this!" Robin and I exchanged glances.

"You... didn't?"

"The most I see you two do is hold hands."

"Huh. I guess most of that stuff kinda does happen... off-screen." I scratched the back of my head.

"'Off-screen'?" Robin gave me a questioning look.

"Hey, breaking the fourth wall is a lot harder than you might think, okay?" The two girls looked at each other, completely confused. "Can we get back to the game now?" They shrugged, and returned attention to the board.

"Moving that pawn is your best choice, Sumia."

"Hey, you're not supposed to play for both sides!" Robin grinned at me.

"If you get my help, then so does the Queen."

"Thanks, Robin!" Sumia hurriedly picked up the pawn in order to move it, then dropped it. Her face had contorted into one of extreme discomfort, both of her hands clutching at her stomach.

"Sumia?!" Both Robin and I shot up from our seat, hurrying over to support the Pegasus Knight.

"Ooooh... I-I'm okay... this just happens..."

"Hmm..." Robin put her hand to Sumia's forehead. "You don't feel too hot... we should take her to Libra anyway."

"Considering what she's currently doing, I'd have to agree."

"No, don't worry, I'm... fine..." Her face unconvincingly scrunched into an attempted smile. "See?" Robin and I gave her deadpan expressions. "Oh, okay..." She shakily got to her feet, nearly falling on the table before we supported her on either side. "Th-thanks..."

"Don't thank us 'til you're better."

"So, what's wrong, Libra?" The War Monk closed the door behind him, then turned around and smiled at me.

"She merely has a small stomach flu; the Queen will be better in no time at all."

"Then why isn't she out here too?"

"We made a discovery that I'm certain she would like to tell in person, and would like to tell our Exalt first."

"Uh... okay...?" I looked to Robin for an answer, but I could tell by the look in her eyes that she had absolutely no idea. "We should probably get Chrom, then."

"No, no; you two stay here. I'll get him." With his ever-calm gait, Libra walked out the door to fetch a ruler. Slightly confused, I sat down next to Robin.

"So... you don't know what he's talking about, right?"

"No clue."

"It isn't some special girl thing that you don't want to tell me?"

"No, it isn't." She crossed her arms and gave me what could only be described as a death stare.

"Ahem." I cautiously leaned back in my seat, very aware of the dangers of upsetting a woman. After a minute or so of silence, Robin sighed and lent back herself, moving slightly closer to me.

"What are we doing?"

"Sitting in the doctor's office."

"Not what I meant." I raised an eyebrow, and she sighed again. "We're in a time of peace; we should be out there exploring this world with this opportunity! Instead we're sitting in a dark medical facility waiting for our Queen to come out and say a few words."

"Woah, where did this come from?" She shook her head.

"I... I just... I don't know..." She shook the rest of her body and gave me a somewhat hollow smile. "Sorry, it's nothing. Forget it."

"Not happening. I can tell you're upset about something; out with it." Her smile faded, and her gaze fell to the floor.

"Ever since the end of the war, I've felt something nagging at the back of my mind, telling me that the fighting isn't over. I didn't pay any attention to it before because I thought it was just me being paranoid, but recently... the dreams have come back."

"The... dreams?"

"Nightmares. It's a fight between me, Chrom, and a very tall enemy. The fight itself happens a little differently every time, but it always ends with me... killing Chrom..." I could feel my heart go just the tiniest bit faster. "The worst part is that it feels so much more real than any other dream. I can feel myself thrusting this knife of electricity striaght through his heart, my head throbbing the entire time. And its starting to happen more and more. At least once every week, I wake up in a cold sweat because I keep killing Chrom. It's... scary."

"I'll bet. But you know," I smiled at her, "if the nightmare ever happens again, you can always come to me for comfort."

"But I don't want to wake you just to console me..."

"Hey, it's what I'm here for. Funny, caring guy, remember?" She sighed at me, but was smiling again.

"Not exactly the most comforting way to put that, but... thanks."

"Of course." Just then, a frantic Chrom burst through the door, hair slightly disheveled. "Hey, Chrom."

"Where is she?" Even though Libra had probably told the Exalt that his wife was fine, there was a slight panic in his voice. Wordlessly, Robin pointed to the door that held Sumia behind it. In a blue and white blur, Chrom was on the other side of the now swaying door. A few seconds later, Libra walked in with a small smile on his face.

"I trust nothing bad happened while I was gone?"

"Nope."

"Thank Naga."

"What do you mean by that?" It was my turn to grumpily cross my arms. The monk was saved from answering by Chrom and Sumia coming out of the back room, arm-in-arm and grinning from ear-to-ear.

"What's got you two so happy?" Robin was already in a better mood. Chrom looked to Sumia, who gave him a nod.

"Sumia's pregnant!"

The party that night was intense. Alcohol was practically thrown around the ball room, food was made at and incredibly fast pace, games were set up around the entire edge of the tables that were thrown together to create one giant one (I contributed Twister), and decorations were hastily thrown about, half of them saying 'Happy Birthday'. Unfortunately, I wasn't really into it that night. A few things that had happened that day were shifting around in my mind, and I couldn't enjoy the party for all its worth. Still, I managed to stay until about one in the morning. I left the hall almost automatically, the fading sounds of partygoers barely registering. I shuffled through the halls in somewhat of a trance, my mind places that it hadn't really been before. The trance was broken when I passed a courtyard on the way to my room; a courtyard with someone in it. I had only inteded to glance as I walked by, but the lone, purple-ponytailed figure sitting out in the solitude of the dying moonlight caught my full attention. She was sitting on the grass, back turned to me and face pointed at the sky above. The gears started to turn, and an idea struck, one that would hopefully solve both our problems. As quietly as I could, I ran to my room, grabbed a few things, and made my way back. I silently moved into the courtyard, moving right behind Robin. In a surprisingly swift and fluid motion, I sat down next to her and threw a blanket over both of us. She jumped slightly at the sudden blanket, but quickly wrapped her half around herself.

"Nice night."

"Mmm."

"You alright? Staring up at the stars is usually my thing."

"I'm worried."

"About what? The dreams?" She nodded. "Hey, I said I'd help, didn't I?"

"Not sure how much you can do against something in my head..."

"I can at least make things feel better outside of it." I shuffled a little closer, and Robin noticably relaxed. "See? Working already." She gave me a small shove.

"Dork."

"Hey, speaking of all this, I've got a question."

"Oh, no."

"Are you... okay with this?"

"Hmm? With what?"

"The way things are between us. Like, are you good with how... erm... affectionate we are towards each other?"

"Not sure I follow." I sighed.

"Do you think we should do more couple stuff in public?"

"Why do you ask?"

"A few reasons, biggest of which being what Sumia said today. She didn't really know how we are with each other, and I'm just not sure if you're okay with that or not."

"Zack, if something was wrong, I would have told you."

"Oh, you mean like how you only told me you were having nightmares today? Or how you still haven't said anything about that burn on your arm?" She looked up at me in surprise. "I can notice things too."

"Uh..." She wiggled on the spot. "I was planning to say something about that..."

"Forget the burn; doesn't matter now. All I want is an answer to my question."

"I thought I already gave you one, didn't I?"

"...When?"

"If I wanted anything different, I would have done something about it. I'm happy the way we are, because it's the most natural for us. It's already everything I could ask for."

"Oh, uh... alright then. Pointless discussion over, then."

"I wouldn't say pointless..."

"Unnecessary, then."

"That works." We both lay back and stared up at the stars in silence for a few minutes.

"So what did cause that burn?"

"Experiment. I was trying to figure out how those lights worked back in your world."

"Ohhhhhhhhhh; you know, you could've asked me. I know the general... idea... of how they work. A bunch of electricity runs through a piece of metal that brings it close to its melting point without actually reaching it... or something like that."

"I'll have to try that." She rolled over and put an arm across my chest. "But tomorrow." We yawned simultaneously, and were asleep within no time at all.

 **A/N: Didn't really know what I was doing this chapter; just wanted to say that thing about Sumia. If you have any questions, concerns, comments, or criticisms, feel free to give me a PM or leave a review. Until the next chapter!**


	27. Chapter 27

"C'mon, Anna; you have to have a better price!"

"I do."

"Really?!"

"Better for me!" The redheaded merchant gave me a cheeky wink. "But I don't have anything else on your budget." I sighed and ran a hand through my hair.

"You sure you can't do a discount or some other deal?"

"Hm..." Anna put a finger on her chin in a way that suggested she wasn't really thinking about any discount, but what she could manage to squeeze out of me. "Well, I could go half price on this one, so long as you work for me, no pay, for a month."

"A month?!" She gave a nod, her smile growing. "Ugh. How about you give me a quarter off, and I only work for two weeks?"

"Ooh, I like your style. Done! You can start next week." I sighed as the demon in disguise took the small item from its display case and handed it over while I gave her most of the coins in my pouch. "So what's your plan, if I might ask?"

"Hah! No way I'm telling you! You spout out people's secrets easier than Lissa!"

"I do not!" She feigned disgust as she reeled back mockingly.

"Oh yeah? How about the time you told everyone that Maribelle sleeps with a stuffed animal for a piece of gold? Or when you sold me out when I was trying to escape from Frederick's training for a shiny weapon? Or-"

"Alright, I get the point. Really, though, you sure you have everything set out?"

"I have a game plan, yes." She gave me a skeptical look. "What?"

"Nothing."

"Uh-huh." I put the object in my pocket. "Anyway, I have to go psyche myself up for said plan. I'll... catch you next week, I suppose."

"Be ready to work!" I left her little store as quickly as I could, seeing as I was probably going to spend the next two weeks cooped up in there. I put my hands in my pockets, felt the small box, and smiled.

"Worth it."

A few days later, I was nervously fiddling with my necklace. Chrom and Sumia were holding a celebratory feast for visiting dignitaries, and my date was starting to run late. Bouncing slightly on the spot, I knocked on her door.

"Come on; are you ready yet?"

"Almost!" Several loud crashes followed.

"...You okay?"

"Yeah, just can't find something. Wait! There it is!" There was a little more shuffling before I heard Robin sigh, then her footsteps coming towards the door. I stood back a bit, still bouncing ever-so-slightly, and waited for it to open. I grew a little worried when it didn't open immediately, but that quickly dissolved as the wooden door creaked open. As soon as she stepped out, I locked my hand with hers and took off down the hallway. "Slow down, would you?! I can't go very fast in these heels!"

"Oh!" I slowed down as much as my mind would allow. "Sorry; I'm a bit out of it tonight."

"That's not like you."

"I-I've got a few things I need to do soon, and they're a bit... overwhelming."

"Well, do you need any help with them? I'd be glad to-"

"No, no; I've got to do these by myself."

"Alright." For a minute, neither of us really knew what to say. I was nervous beyond compare, and Robin was probably a little worried at how I was acting. _Gods, I hope I loosen up over the course of the feast..._ Deciding the silence was too much, I spoke up.

"That's a nice dress you're wearing; is it new?"

"It is, actually; Lissa bought it for me. I never thought I could do blue, but I think it's growing on me."

"It fits you perfectly."

"Thank you." I opened the door for her, and we stepped into the organized chaos that was a typical Ylissean feast, despite the respected nobles that had stopped by. Vaike and Sully were already drunk, Lissa was pulling Stahl around the entire room, making him meet anyone and everyone, Maribelle was berating Gaius for raiding the sweets, Miriel was discussing something with an empty suit of armour that I assumed was Kellam, Cordelia and Lon'qu were sitting awkwardly quietly amidst the pandemonium, Panne was sitting off to the side, wearily eyeing the visitors, and the ones out of the norm, Chrom and Sumia were talking to the dignitaries with the composure any other royal couple should have. Robin and I shuddered when we saw that, then went to sit down and enjoy the feast.

Around an hour later, the party had calmed down somewhat. Sully and Vaike had fallen asleep, cutting out most of the noise, and Lissa had stopped running around, instead opting to chat with Maribelle and Gaius. This was the opportunity I was looking for.

"Hey, Robin?"

"Hm?" She turned to me with a smile.

"I need some air; come with?" She stood up, which I took as a yes. "You're eager. C'mon; just to the balcony for a minute." We walked through the honestly quite stuffy hall out onto a balcony that oversaw the entirety of Ylisstol and leaned up against the rail. We simultaneously took in a deep breath of the cool night air. "That's a bit better!"

"All those candles really do make it feel hot in there, don't they?"

"Why do you think I wanted to come outside?"

"To see the stars. That is a thing you do."

"It kind of is, isn't it..." We stood in comfortable silence for a few minutes. Well, mostly. I was feeling extremely nervous and indecisive. I had planned up to this point, but not much past that; I was kind of betting on my powers of improvisation. I was startled out of it by Robin stretching.

"Should we head back? Chrom might miss us if we're out here too long."

"Sure." _Why did you say that?! Stall; stall!_ Without moving my head, I looked in every direction trying to find something that would help. Surprisingly, I found it looking at the floor. "Oh, wait! Hang on; my shoe's untied." I knelt down to tie it while Robin looked back out over Ylisstol. _Oh, this actually works perfectly! Just... make it memorable, got it?!_

"Do you remember that night on the beach?"

"Hm?" My head snapped up at her sudden interruption of my panicked thoughts.

"That night when we were lying on the beach, and you were worried about going back? Remember?"

"Of course. Why do you bring it up?"

"Well... it happened two years ago tonight."

"It did? I had no idea."

"Yeah. That was a special night for me. That was when I started to feel something for you."

"Huh. What a coincidence; that's when I started having feelings for you."

"Really? We really are alike!" she laughed. "I thought they said opposites attract."

"Well, I never really agreed with that convention." _Now, man; do it now!_ "So, I've been thinking..."

"Oh, no."

"That's my joke!" She grinned down at me. "Anyway; after some of the things that have been going on recently, a whole bunch of new thoughts have entered my head, one of them I really have to ask you about." As subtly as I could, I reached my hand into my pocket. "It's- it's kind of a big ask I have, so don't freak out too much." She was still smiling, but raised an eyebrow at that. I took a deep breath. "Robin..." I presented the box, "I love you more than you could know; will you marry me?" Her hands went up over her mouth, so I didn't even remotely know what she was thinking. Of course, I panicked. "I-if it's too soon, then I get it; we have only known each other for about two years. A-and if you don't want to at all, then-" I was cut off by Robin's lips slamming into mine in one of the deepest kisses we had ever had. After a little while, she released me from it with an enormous smile on her face. "I'll take that as a yes then."

"How could I say no to the man I love?" She took the gold band that was inset with four small jewels and put it on her finger.

"You like it?"

"It's perfect."

"Whew! That's good; I almost have no money left after getting that thing." She rolled her eyes, then started up another kiss, this one requiring breaks for breathing. "So," I had to talk during said breaks, "should... we... go back... yet? ...You did... say... Chrom... would worry..." We broke off.

"I guess I have a point..."

"Don't worry; we can continue this later if you want."

"Oh, alright." At this point, she was smiling from ear to ear, as was I. We locked hands and went back into the dining hall, where nobody knew what just happened. Well... not yet.

 **A/N: Writing this chapter felt really... weird. I don't even have a girlfriend, making writing stuff like this feel so foreign, especially since we're talking about something that's supposed to be me. I hope you guys liked it! If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or criticisms, be sure to give me a PM or review. Until the next chapter!**


	28. Chapter 28

"Are you sure you want to invite the blacksmith?"

"Of course! He's helped me out every single time I've asked, which was especially helpful when I tried out plumbing."

"Oh yeah; how is that coming along?"

"Pretty good. I got it working, and gave the prototype to Miriel so she could improve how it works and possibly get it implemented throughout Ylisstol. Now, back to the guest list: have you picked out your bridesmaid?"

"I have."

"Alright; who's your pick?"

"Lissa." I did a double-take.

"Lissa?!"

"Yes, Lissa. Now, I know what you're going to say, and yes, there are probably better choices, but I think Lissa will do just fine."

"Well... okay..."

"What about you? Who's your best man?"

"I picked Gaius."

"...You did?"

"Yes. I'm perfectly aware that he might eat all of the sweet things at the party, but the rigorous formal etiquette Maribelle has managed to bestow upon him should help. Plus, he can have some fun ideas."

"Does that round out the guest list?" I took a look at a piece of paper covered in names sitting on the table in front of us.

"I think it does."

"Great! Let's give this to the wedding planner." We stood up to leave, when the door to the room flew open, revealing an distressed Lissa.

"Guys! Sumia! Libra's! Now!" Before we could even realize what had just happened, she was gone. Robin and I gave each other worried looks, then took off after the princess. We were practically following a yellow streak going around corners as we bolted after her through the palace, slowly gaining Shepherds as we went. When everyone was with us, Lissa led the charge into town, the crowds parting ways for our ragtag group of warriors. She eventually led us into the medical facility we had taken Sumia to around nine months ago. We entered to find the lobby empty, occasional yells coming from the back room. Lissa was bouncing on the spot just outside the door to said room, an excitedly worried expression on her face.

"Lissa... if you called us for what I think you called us for, we're going to be standing here for a _long_ time." I went and sat in one of the chairs, resting from the run.

"I know, I know, it's just... I'm just... I can't believe it's actually happening!" Upon realizing what was going on, most of the other Shepherds left.

"I'm going to go give this," Robin held up the piece of paper, "its proper home."

"Want me to come with?" The tactician glanced over at Lissa, who was now pacing the room.

"No, you should stay here. I think someone needs a bit of calming down."

"Good point."

"Alright," she gave me a peck on the cheek, "back soon."

"Have fun!" As soon as she was out the door, I turned my attention to the panicking princess. "Lissa, sit down."

"I can't! I'm just so nervous!"

"Seriously, sit. The best thing you can do is relax. C'mon; you don't want the two, soon to be three, of them having to be worried about you too, do you?"

"No..." She sat down next to me on the bench with a little too much force. "But what else is there to think about?! I'm going to have a little niece or nephew! I'm just so excited!"

"How about focusing on the other really important event coming up?"

"Other event?"

"Yeah; the one that's almost done being planned!" It was nearly impossible to tell if the thinking pose she went into was genuine or playful.

"Oh my gosh, that's right! You two are getting married!" It was genuine.

"Yes, Lissa. You've known this for five months."

"Well, you two don't seem any different, so I keep forgetting."

"We try."

"So, what's taking this wedding so long anyway? Chrom and Sumia's happened within a month!"

"Unlike those two, we actually like having some idea of what we want to do. Plus, we wanted to pick a special date for it, and all of the really important ones are quite far away."

"Can I help?"

"I think that's reserved for the bridesmaid."

"Awww! Well who is it? Maybe I could give suggestions!"

"Robin hasn't actually told anyone besides me yet, and I think it best she tell her in person."

"Phooey!" Lissa slumped back, arms crossed. "I really wanted to help..."

"Well, we'll just see how things turn out. Maybe you still will." Her arms loosened slightly, but she still stayed comically frustrated. Before I had the chance to accidentally tell her, I decided to change the subject. "How about you and Stahl? How's that going?"

"Amazing!" Her mood lifted instantly. "We've been spending so much time together, and Chrom's finally gotten used to it!"

"Geez, it took that long?"

"Mmm-hmm!"

"Glad Chrom's not my brother..."

"Aw, it's not so bad. Sure, he's a bit protective, but that just makes him the best big bro anyone could ask for."

"Thinking about it, I'm glad I'm not going to be his kid. If he's that overprotective of you, then I can't imagine what he's going to be like with his kid."

"You... you might be right..." Thankfully, the awkward silence that followed didn't last long, as Robin re-entered the building.

"That was surprisingly easy."

"Robin!" Lissa jumped up and put herself right in Robin's face.

"Uh...!"

"Zack said you haven't told the bridesmaid that they're the bridesmaid yet! Who is it?"

"Why so curious?" Robin chuckled.

"I wanna help!" The tactician glanced over Lissa's shoulder, asking me without words. I smiled and nodded.

"Well, you're in luck."

"I am?"

"You're the bridesmaid, Lissa." The room was quiet. I tried to get a read on what Lissa's expression was by Robin's, but that was proving a bit difficult since the princess was now directly between us. I took in a gulp of air to speak, but was interrupted by-

"YEEEESSS!" Lissa lept up in the air with a fist pump, and hugged Robin on landing. "Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!" She pulled back, but was still attached to Robin's arm. "Can we talk about it right now?"

"Of course. Although, we should probably sit down first."

"Right!" Lissa pulled her over to the bench, where she promptly sat on my lap, which was definitely a lot more comfortable than said bench. For the next few hours, Lissa and Robin discussed wedding details, with me mostly sitting silently, only occasionally interjecting with suggestions or denials. I was quite happy just to be sitting there talking, but interruptions seemed to be very popular in Ylisstol. Just as it was getting dark outside, Libra came out of the back room, a tired smile on his face. All three of us stood up.

"Well?" Libra's gaze fell on Robin.

"It's a girl."

"I have a niece?" Libra nodded. "I have a niece!"

"Can we see her?"

"So long as you all are quiet; the Queen is resting at the moment, and the Exalt is very tired." The three of us nodded, and Libra held open the door for us. We went inside, and were greeted by Sumia lying asleep in a bed, Chrom nearby with a small bundle in his arms. He looked back up at the door opening, the prominent bags under his eyes stretching as he smiled. He waved us over, and we cautiously moved closer.

"Meet our daughter," he whispered, tilting the bundle towards us so we could see her face, "Lucina." Now, from what I knew of babies, she had the usual adorable baby girl face, a sprinkling of blue hair poking out from the top of whatever soft material she was wrapped in, and had a smile of pure peace. Her eyes were closed, but that just added to the moment. Lissa moved just the tiniest bit closer, and even though I couldn't see her face, I knew she had stars in her eyes. As she did, I felt Robin squeeze up against me. Smiling, I put an arm around her shoulders. In that moment, everything was right.

 **A/N: Unlike the last chapter, I have a small amount of experience when it comes to the subject matter as I have a little sister. That being said, I feel like this chapter wasn't my best, and that may be partly because I want to get through these last few intermission chapters as quickly as I can. For those wondering how many of them are left: just one. I bet you all know what it's going to be, too. I'm going to leave before I say anything else that might be spoiler-y, so if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or criticisms, feel free to leave a review or PM me. Until the next chapter!**


	29. Chapter 29

It felt way too hot. The temperature outside wasn't the problem, it was actually a very nice day, nor was the suit I was wearing despite it nearly choking me; it was what was about to happen.

"Calm down, Strings."

"I'm totally calm."

"Your sweat doesn't agree." I looked down at my hands which, sure enough, were coated in a layer of sweat.

"Oh... I guess I am..." I wiped them on my pants.

"Doesn't work if you're still sweating." I sighed. "Don't worry, you got this."

"I don't know..."

"Listen, Strings, I know you're a bit scared and nervous, but you can do this. We believe in you."

"Thanks, but that doesn't really help much."

"Calm down. She said yes, didn't she? That means she wants this as much as you do."

"Y-yeah... you're right..."

"That's... sorta the spirit." He clapped a hand against my back, giving me a broad grin. "You're good, man."

"Thanks. I'm glad I chose you as best man."

"No problem." Gaius looked to the flap of the tent. "Time's up; you're on. Don't worry; I'm behind you the whole time." I gave him a shaky nod as he guided us out of the tent and towards the altar. We were set up in a secluded field not too far from the city. The entire ceremony had its back to the treeline, with a river and mountains visible behind the arch. Libra was standing under it, at the ready, smiling at the gathering of our friends. As soon as I saw them, my heart dropped a little. _My family doesn't get to see this..._ I tried to push the thought to the back of my mind as I stood nervously in front of the audience, but it kept circling around to the front. I was broken from the endless loop by the music starting up. My head snapped up to see something that instantly melted the previous thought out of my mind: Robin. She was in her glowing white wedding dress, which fit her form perfectly. Slightly surprisingly, she was being led down the aisle by Chrom, who may have been smiling even wider than she was. When they reached me, Chrom put his hands on our shoulders.

"You two will be great." With that, he turned around and sat on the seat next to Sumia, who was holding their daughter.

"Ahem." Libra cleared his throat to get our attention. "Are we ready?" I looked to Robin, who was smiling from ear to ear.

"Yes," we said simultaneously.

"Then let us begin. Dearly beloved..." I half-tuned out. Remember when I said weddings are boring if you aren't the one up there? Well, it turned out to only be half-true. Sure, it didn't feel like Libra's speech was dragging on, but that was because of the excitement and fear that came with getting married. The words Libra had to say were still very boring. So, in the interest of time and worthiness, the boringness will be skipped. "Do either of you have a few words for the other?" We nodded. "Which one of you would like to go first?"

"I will." Robin took a deep breath, staring me right in the eye. "When we first met, I didn't know what to make of you. You fell from the sky only to land in our arms... my arms. I tried making this world feel more like a home to you, but you ended up helping me find mine. I fell for you, and I don't ever want to get up." Several 'aw's coursed through the audience.

"And the groom?"

"Alrighty." I reached into a pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. It unfolded to the ground, eliciting a few more 'aw's and some chuckles, one of those chuckles from Robin. The paper was, naturally, blank and only there for comedic effect. "When I first arrived, I was a little distraught. I couldn't go back home, I was stuck in the middle of a war, and there was none of the technology that I was used to in sight. Then, I met you. You kept me grounded; you kept me sane; you kept me whole. I know I can never go back, and as long as you're here, I never want to. You _are_ my home." Another surge of 'aw's rippled through the gathered friends.

"Now, the rings." Libra gestured to the aisle, and Nowi began walking down it. She was holding a pillow that had two gold bands on it. They weren't really anything special at that distance, but as they got closer, the engraved names became visible. Confusingly, we had decided to engrave the other one's name on our ring, so when they arrived, I put the one that had 'Zack' on it on Robin's finger, and she put the one that said 'Robin' on mine. "If anyone has problem with their union, speak now or forever hold your peace." Silence. "You may kiss the bride." We moved towards each other, and got into a very involved kiss. The claps and cheers fell on deaf ears as her arms wrapped around my neck, mine around her waist. When we broke off, we were smiling wider than either of us thought possible.

"Oh! Right! Bouquet." Robin let go of me and turned around, poised to throw it. "One..." All the girls, barring Sully and Miriel, crowded together behind Robin. "Two..." They started to frenzy. "Three!" It went sailing over their heads, only to be caught by Sully. She looked at it, laughed, and threw it back to the throng of girls, getting caught by Lissa.

"Huh. Whaddya know." I felt Robin's hand slither into mine.

"C'mon; let's go to the reception!"

"After you, milady." She pulled me along, and the entire party proceeded to the reception.

It was held in another empty space not too far away, this time with several tables that were covered in food, presents, and drinks of all kinds. Robin and I were currently opening said presents, getting some rather... interesting gifts.

"Gauntlets, a tome, and a shield... gee, Frederick, uh... thanks?" The Great Knight's expression was unreadable. Despite how mediocre it felt to me, Robin instantly grabbed the tome, eyes shining.

"Frederick, is this a Mjolnir? These are really rare!"

"Indeed it is. The gauntlets are of special make as well, able to completely deflect sword strikes at the right angle."

"Wow. That's actually really cool. What about the shield? Is it special at all?"

"Everything does not have to have a second function."

"I disagree. Grenade launcher hammers are pretty cool, and knives that can turn into pistols would probably be very useful." Frederick gave me a wary look. "I know you don't get it, and right now, I don't care all too much."

"Regardless, the shield is meant for the both of you to use, while the other parts are obviously much more personal. I hope they serve you well." The knight gave a bow, which we awkwardly smiled at, and went over to one of the food tables, probably to ensure that Gaius and Nowi didn't eat all the food. Chrom came sauntering up then, broad smile engulfing his face.

"Frederick giving you trouble?"

"A little."

"He insisted that we open his present right away, even though I pointed out that it would be easier to carry it all back in its boxes." Robin sighed, putting the tome aside. "Still, it's nice to know he really cares."

"Well, I hate to be that troublesome, but Sumia and I believe you should open our gifts now as well."

"...Are they small?" Chrom turned to me, mischief in his eyes.

"In a manner of speaking." He held out two small packages, which Robin and I tentatively took. We cautiously opened them to find-

"Paper?" Robin looked confusingly at the folded up piece of paper sitting neatly at the bottom of the small box. I looked down to a similar paper in the one I had taken. "Chrom?"

"Read them." Raising an eyebrow, I unfolded the paper and began to read.

 _Chrom and I couldn't come up with good enough gifts, until I suggested this. You two have done so much, been so influential, and been great friends. That's why, for your wedding day, we've given you your own house. Congratulations!_

"You got us a house?!" I almost fell over in my chair, then snapped my head up to see Chrom grinning. I looked over to Robin to see her reaction, but she was staring at her own piece of paper with wide eyes.

"You gave us promotions?!"

"You what?!"

"That's right. Sumia came up with the idea of giving you your own home, as you don't really have a place that's all your own, and I decided to promote the both of you." He put his hands on our shoulders. "Congratulations; Robin, you now have the title of Grandmaster, and Zack, you have the title of 'Close Quarters Specialist'."

"Grandmaster...?"

"Specialist?"

"That's right. You now have an official job," he looked me in the eye, "and you get a raise," he slapped Robin's shoulder. "Have fun!" Before either of us could get in another word, the Exalt walked off to find his wife and child. Robin and I slowly turned to each other, mouths slightly open, then we simultaneously started smiling.

"I wonder if it's furnished."

"I wonder how much more money we get."

"I can't believe it!"

"Me neither!" We laughed and gave each other a hug. "We have a house!"

"Best. Day. Ever!" Robin pulled back, giving me a cheeky smile.

"What, it wasn't already?"

"It was; this just made it unbeatable."

"I guess that's an acceptable answer."

"Bubbles! Strings!" At that moment, Gaius decided to come running up, his entire being a mess of emotions. "Emergency!" I had a feeling I knew what he was talking about.

"What kind of emergency?"

"All the little snacks are gone; I don't have any more sweets!" I rolled my eyes.

"Gaius, there's still cake."

"But Maribelle won't let me until you two cut it, so get to it!" He went around behind us, and started shoving us over to the dessert table. "C'mon; I'm hungry!"

"Alright, alright; calm down." I sighed and looked to Robin. "You good with cutting it now?"

"If only to get him off us."

"Hey!" Smiling to each other, we made our way to the multi-tiered cake. It was a masterpiece of food craft; pink and blue icing decorated the white cake with various designs, some of which I recognized from the front of magic tomes; several fake, probably edible, flowers were strewn about the dessert, and on top of the whole thing were two small, painted wooden figures of the two of us.

"Care to make the first cut?" I handed Robin the nearby knife. As soon as I did, she put her hand over mine.

"Together." The knife cut through the cake with ease, and a chorus of applause from the audience that had apparently decided to watch us nearly unsteadied the blade. Soon, we both had cake in our hands, and a debate started in my mind. There were two voices currently speaking; one was telling me to 'Just do it! You know you want to!', and the other was trying to convince me not to. Guess which won.

"Hey Robin." She looked at me. "There's this tradition back where I come from that involves wedding cakes."

"Really?"

"Yeah; you want to see it?" Before she could even answer, I shoved her cake into her face. Bouts of laughter came from some of our friends, along with a grunt of annoyance from Gaius. The grin I had on was wider than could be, even though I knew I was going to regret doing that sooner or later. Robin slowly got the clumps of cake out of her face, and as soon as she was done, I couldn't see. However, I could hear even more laughter as I pulled cake off my face, still grinning. I could see Robin bending over in laughter, wiping tears from her eyes. "Good one, isn't it?"

"It's... It's... it's great!" She could barely speak.

"Can't believe you wasted cake..." I barely heard Gaius' whisper as he stuffed his face full of cake. I just rolled my eyes at him.

"You know..." Robin had finally gotten over her laughter, "you're going to have to repay me for that later..."

"I know; but it was worth it." She sighed, then pulled me into a very sweet-tasting kiss. That day was the best one of my life.

 **A/N: And everything is done! I thought this chapter turned out alright, considering I've only ever been to two weddings, and was four for one and half asleep for the other. So, next chapter, we can finally move back into the in-game story! Until then, if you liked what you read, feel free to review or PM with any questions, concerns, comments or criticisms. Until the next chapter!**

 **Abide: I can't say that; it's a secret! However, I can tell you that it may have a bit of an... unexpected answer.**


	30. Chapter 30

I opened my eyes to purple. I jumped back in slight shock, trying to remember events of the night previous. It all came flooding back in an instant: we got married. I smiled to myself. Sensing my movement, the tactician stirred.

"Mm... where am I...?" I felt her head move, then watched as it slowly panned up to me, eyes full of wonder. "What...?"

"Give it a minute." I could feel myself heating up at our position, despite us being well within our rights. After almost exactly a minute, realization slowly dawned on her face, as well as the same red tint.

"Oh!" I grinned. "That's right!" She pulled her left hand into view, staring at the gold band on one of her fingers, smile growing. She giggled.

"What?"

"I just can't believe it. I'm married!"

"Hey, I am too!"

"That you are." We leaned closer for a kiss, but were interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Pardon," Frederick's voice somehow managed to reverberate off of every surface in the room, "but Milord wishes to see the both of you in the throne room immediately."

"We'll be there," Robin sighed. "Missions already."

"So it would seem." I moved to get up, but stopped when I felt Robin's hand on my bare stomach. She was holding me back slightly, a small amount of sadness in her eyes. "What's up?"

"Nothing, it's just..." I could feel her finger tracing the scar I had gotten from the time I saved her life. "We haven't even started our first day as husband and wife, and we already have things to do."

"It does kinda suck, but look at the bright side: we have the rest of our lives to spend quality time together."

"I guess." Despite my attempt at cheering her up, her expression didn't change. I frowned slightly at this, but quickly shook it off.

"Shall we go see what Chrom wants?"

"I suppose. But first," a smile and a blush appeared on her face, "we should get dressed."

"Oh. Yeah." I grinned, nervously rubbing the back of my head.

Once we were ready, we made our way to the throne room only to see Chrom, Frederick, Lissa, Sumia holding Lucina, and a blonde girl in heavy armour. The Exalt waved us over as we walked in.

"Sorry to have disturbed you this morning, but we have a bit of trouble."

"Indeed." The woman spoke up, looking between me and Robin with a slight coldness to her eyes. "It seems that our overseas neighbours have decided to pay us a visit."

"Yes. Raimi here has just informed me that Regna Ferox has been keeping an eye on the country of Valm, as there have been stirrings of war recently. Unfortunately, the situation has worsened, and they are venturing to our borders. Flavia has requested that we attend a summit in order to come up with a way to deal with this." Chrom sighed and put a hand to his head. "I'm sorry; I know that nobody wants to be pulled back into fighting, but I'm afraid it's unavoidable."

"It's okay, Chrom." Robin's expression was stern, yet comforting. "In order to have peace, there must be those that preserve it. We just happen to be those ones."

"Well said. Alright. Frederick, could you please go inform the Shepherds? We leave immediately."

"Yes, Milord." The great knight bowed, and made his way out of the hall.

"Now, Sumia," Chrom turned to his wife, "are you sure? We may not be back for a very long time."

"I'm sure." She looked down at the baby in her arms. "We have the rest of her life to make it up."

"I can see there's no arguing." He sighed again, then reached out to their daughter, who grabbed his finger. "Be safe." Sumia smiled. In that moment, I leaned over to Robin.

"I think we should leave them alone," I whispered in her ear. She nodded, and we left to prepare.

The trip to Ferox was eventful, but at the same time, very boring. Eventful because of the many, many proposals that happened. As soon as the other Shepherds were told what was happening, Stahl proposed to Lissa. The next day, Lon'qu and Cordeila, Oliva and Ricken, and Miriel and Kellam all got engaged. Nothing else really happened until we got to Ferox, aside from Robin constantly pestering me to stop playing with my ring. When we did get there, we were ushered to Flavia's meeting almost immediately.

"I apologize that we could not get here sooner, Flavia."

"What matters is that you're here, Chrom."

"Is it true, then? Has Valm launched ships against us?" Flavia sighed and closed her eyes.

"We don't know too much, but that much is true. The details are still hazy. Just a moment." Flavia's eyes opened, twisting her head to the side with so much force it would probably break any normal person's neck. Then, in a booming voice that nearly made me cover my ears, she shouted across what was probably the entire Feroxi palace. "Oaf! Where are you, you big, bald- Chrom is here!" The enormous man with an eyepatch and an annoyed scowl came in from some unkown room, a pinkie in his ear.

"Sheesh, woman, did you have to yell so loud? I was only a room over!" Basilio then turned to us, donning a grin that oozed confidence. "Good to see you, boy! Thought you might show up. We've got someone here you might be familiar with that says he has a bit of inside info on Valm." The big man indicated to the side of the room he had come from, the door now obscured by a certain light-blue-haired archer and a woman with pink hair and a very elaborate set of armour on.

"Virion?!" Everyone, barring Flavia, Basilio, the man himself and the woman beside him, shouted in surprise.

"Greetings, fellow lords and ladies!" He waved a hand, smiling to absorb all of the attention on him. "Indeed, it is I, Virion, archest of archers! No doubt you are wondering how such a man as myself can assist in this time of need. Fear not; all shall be explained! However, this tale begins long ago, just after I had left the company of the Shepherds. You see-"

"May I present Duke Virion. I am his humble servant, Cherche." The woman next to Virion gave a small bow. "Greetings; it is a pleasure to meet all of you." She came up from the bow with a smile. Virion, however, did not look as pleased.

"Cherche! You stole my moment!"

"Well met, Cherche." Chrom, wisely, spoke to the servant rather than the master. "Perhaps you could speak on your master's behalf?"

"That may speed things along, yes..." She gave a sideways glance at Virion, who was still a little sour.

"Then please, time is of the essence."

"Very well, then. First, concerning our origins... We hail from Roseanne, a fertile territory on the continent of Valm. Milord is the head of House Virion, and the rightful ruler of Roseanne. A fact he often reminds us of- and loudly."

"Ha! Is she not a true wit?" The smile the archer had somehow felt like he was insulting her. "She gets it all from me, you know."

"So what brings a noble and his charge all the way across the long sea?"

"The Valmese." Virion's stinging smile disappeared at Chrom's question, turning to an expression of anger and regret. "Theirs was an unremarkable nation once. Tiny, almost pitifully so. Had our continent not shared its name, you might almost have forgotten it existed. And so Valm might have remained, if not for Walhart the Conqueror. One by one, he has taken the surrounding realms into his growing empire. I had no choice but to ru... Er, that is, to RECRUIT new allies to aid my people. That is why I've come."

"...You fled for your life." Virion flinched at Chrom's accusation. Fortunately for him, Cherche stepped in.

"More or less, yes." Maybe not so fortunately. "While Milord hastily gathered his valubles and guided his people to safety, I alone remained to keep an eye on the Valmese crisis. I was there as Roseanne was swallowed up by Emperor Walhart's overwhelming forces. In the end, I, too, fled here to Regna Ferox seeking asylum."

"To my great relief I might add!" The archer seemed to have recovered. "Eligible women are one of Roseanne's most precious natural resources! It would be a shame to waste any, even one who cuts off her lord and ma-"

"As I was saying..." Robin and I looked to each other, fairly certain that this was a practiced routine.

"Yes, yes, alright, it was only a jape!" I kinda doubt that... "Please, by all means, you may con-"

"So, begging your pardons, but perhaps it is time to cut this long story short: Walhart has conquered our continent and now seeks to conquer yours."

"She claims the Valmese fleet will be at our shores in a matter of days," Basilio's booming voice called out. "We'll know soon enough if her story proves true."

"I speak only what I know for true, good people. As does my lord. ...At least, with respect to this matter." She smirked in Virion's direction.

"There's that wit of yours again! Aha! That wonderful... needling, chafing wit."

"I believe you both. Basilio, we must secure your ports as soon as possible."

"You should know that Valm has the strongest calvalry in the world. You will want to station troops with experience fighting mounted troops."

"Why, Virion, are you volunteering?"

"Eh-heh..." Virion took a step back. "Not 'volunteer' per say, but I am willing to assist." Chrom smiled.

"Good; we'll need all the help we can get." He turned to the rest of us. "We should move out as soon as possible. I don't want anyone getting hurt because we weren't fast enough."

"It's great that you want to fight and all," Basilio frowned at Chrom, "but you're all exhausted. Take tonight off, then start running to the port tommorow if you want."

"Sorry, but we can't take that chance." The large man growled as Flavia walked over, a stern expression on her face.

"You're a good kid, but the oaf's right. You can't fight soldiers on tired legs and empty stomachs." She sighed. "But, if you insist, there's a small town you can make it to before it gets too dark; I can even set you up at the local inn." The bluenette turned to Robin, looking for advice.

"Sounds good to me."

"Very well then. We graciously accept that offer, Khan Flavia."

"Alright; I'll get everything set up, then." With powerful yet elegant strides, the current ruler of Ferox walked out of the room. At the same time, Basilio grinned at us with a wink, following the Khan out.

"Frederick."

"Milord?"

"Would you please go tell the Shepherds of our plan?"

"Of course, sire." The knight turned on his heel and marched out of the room.

"Well, you two better be ready, too."

"Trust me; we're ready."

"We are?" It was a somewhat genuine question, which I got a look of annoyance for asking. "Uh... I guess we are."

"Good. Let's move!"

We barely made it to the town Flavia had mentioned before midnight. When we did arrive, to our great surprise, Gaius proposed to Maribelle and Donnel to Nowi. After a small celebration of said proposals that lasted far longer than it should have, we were all exhausted and ushered to bed. Despite my body begging me to fall asleep, I had a hard time closing my eyes.

"What's wrong?" I looked over to Robin, who wasn't even really awake. "Can't sleep?"

"I'm scared..."

"You are?"

"Yeah. I know that we've gone through a war, survived living with all the Shepherds, gotten married, and encountered reality-altering beings from alternate dimensions, but the fact that we have to go back to all this fighting is... it's terrifying." She tiredly rolled over, attempting to look me in the eye, but failing due to her drooping eyelids.

"Look, it's going to be fine." There was silence as I waited for her to say more. Unfortunately, after about a minute of said silence, I could hear her softly snoring. There wasn't going to be more.

"Guess we'll talk in the morning, then..." I soon followed her example, though my sleep was much more restless. Things were going to get interesting.

A/N: Welcome back to the main plot! We're back into the story of the game, and excitement is sure to come! Trust me; there are some fun things on the way. So, if you have any questions, concerns, comments, criticisms, or are ready to start this thing, feel free to give me a review or PM. Until the next chapter!


	31. Chapter 31

"Help!"

"Gods, they're everywhere!"

"No! Stop!"

"My house!"

"Surrender or die, scum!" We had reached Port Ferox, and were almost too late. Several Valmese ships were lined up in the harbour, the debris of ships they had destroyed to get to the shore floating near their hulls. "This port now belongs to Emperor Walhart!" There was a man standing at the edge of one of the boats, shouting to the rest of the men. He was probably the leader. Some of the Valmese soldiers walked up the docking plank to the ship, an elderly man between them. They shoved him up to the leader, who looked at the man condesendingly. After an exchange of words I couldn't quite make out, the leader suddenly charged forward, killing the man with a single strike.

"No!" Chrom lunged forward, not even waiting for Robin to come up with a battle plan. The man on the boat looked over at the Exalt, smirking.

"Looks like we have someone that wants to fight back! Let's get 'em, boys!" A roar erupted from the men already laying seige to the small town, several of them charging forward. Chrom took down several of the closer ones with a few swings from his legendary sword, making a few of the others stop in their tracks. Some of the braver ones, however, got smart and came at him from behind. The rest of us were too far away to react in time... or so we thought. At the last possible second, the pink-haired woman that was with Virion swooped in on a wyvern and struck the attackers across their backs, taking them down instantly.

"Please, allow me to assist, Lord Chrom."

"Thanks; we can always use more help!" He smiled at Cherche, regaining his focus. "Robin; plan?"

"Some of us should go directly up to the boat, while the rest takes care of the troops already in the town. I suggest that you, Sumia, Kellam, Miriel, Zack, and myself go to the boat while everyone else groups up and stays down here."

"Right. You heard her, Shepherds; move out!" There was a clattering of armour and a rush of footsteps as we charged out to our designated targets. Chrom and Sumia took the lead, flying ahead to scout out what we were up against. Kellam and Miriel went just in front of Robin and myself, Kellam taking all the hits while Miriel countered. Robin and I were there more for tactical support and clean-up, seeing as we needed her brains more than muscle, and I wasn't exactly comfortable with my new gauntlets. Speaking of, I had opted to try them out as opposed to using a sword this battle, making things a little bit more difficult.

"Rrgh! You know," I glanced over at Robin while giving one of the enemy soldiers a hefty kick, "I'm not all that useful in this fight."

"What do you mean?" She shot a blast of lightning from her newly acquired Mjolnir tome, eliminating one of the mages.

"These gauntlets are great for blocking- Hyah! But I can't really do much against these armoured guys."

"Just leave those ones to us, honey."

"Man, that feels weird."

"What does?"

"You calling me 'honey'." A sword slid down the side of my gauntlet as I blocked the attack, retaliating with a hardy punch to the face courtesy of my left fist. "And the blocking a sword with my arms thing; that's pretty strange." I heard a small chuckle from the Grandmaster.

"It's going to take some getting used to, for sure."

"Which one?"

"Does it matter?" Chrom and Sumia decided that right then was a good time to come back.

"Their leader is hidden behind several heavily-armoured knights and three mages. We would have faced them, but something told us that they are much stronger than the men we have faced in the past." Chrom looked to Sumia for confirmation, expression softening slightly when the Pegasus Knight nodded.

"Hm..." Despite the battle raging around us, Robin still managed to get her hand on her chin in thought. "Will we need the ship?"

"I don't believe so... why?"

"If it's going to be too difficult to fight them directly, then we should just take away their higher ground." Chrom's eyes widened in understanding, a smile slowly creeping its way across his face. I found myself starting to smile too, as this solution meant that there would be a lot less death. "Can I get the rest of you to cover Miriel and I while we try digging into the ship's hull?"

"So you wish it, so it shall be." I got an eye-roll from her for that, but she was smiling so it was worth it. "Just remember to aim between the planks; there should be less resistance there." She gave me a single nod, then the two magic users accompanying us made their way to the edge of the dock, the rest of us protecting their backs. Very soon, the sounds of fire and lightning echoed around the port, causing a small panic amongst the Valmese.

"Don't just stand there, idiots!" The leader was leaning over the side of the boat, flailing his sword at his subordinates. "Stop them!" Spears and arrows began to fly at the two women currently harassing the boat with spells. Kellam stood as a wall between the lower ones and them, while Sumia took Chrom into the sky and deflected all of the higher projectiles. I was designated as the close defender, keeping anyone who tried to get close from staying close. Soon enough, there was an enormous crack rent through the air, followed by the sound of rushing water. As I was currently fending off a few sword-wielding Valmese, I was unable to turn around to see the damage our two mages had managed to do, but was fairly confident that they had succeded with all the screaming I heard from behind me.

"Now we wait." I jumped a bit when Robin appeared beside me, a confident smile on her face. "As soon as the leader hits the water, we capture him. How are things going here?" I returned the smile.

"Alright. A few scratches, but we're doing fine."

"Good; I'm glad to know you can still hold your own."

"You doubted me?"

"No..."

"I heard that hesitation!"

"Let's just refocus on the battle, okay?" I grinned at her very obvious conversation deflection she had tried, but turned my head back to the remaining forces. They had backed off somewhat, quite a few of them just standing there and watching as the boat behind us slowly sank into the ocean's depths. The ones not transfixed by the sight were either slowly coming towards us, probably trying to figure out a way of gettting to their friends while avoiding us Shepherds, or attempting to flee entirely. The fleeing ones were quickly caught and made to surrender by the rest of the Shepherds, who were on the edges of the port. We had won.

"You won't win." It was a few hours later, the Valmese having been captured and interrogated. They had all stayed silent... well, all except the leader. "Walhart is going to conquer this land. Under his rule, this place will become the next pantheon of gods." The grin on the man's face made me very uneasy.

"Why am I in here?" Maribelle, the one currently doing the interrogating, spun her head around and stared daggers at me. "I'm not exactly threatening."

"You are a point of comparison. If an ingrate such as yourself is able to stand against this man's army, then imagine how impossibly strong the rest of the Shepherds are."

"You... have a good point there. Also, I object to being called an 'ingrate'. I thought Gaius had made you lighten up a bit." The daggers caught fire. I sat stock still, now very aware of the kind of trouble I would get myself into by saying anything more. She slowly turned back around, the fear that was probably very evident on me now shifting to the Valmese commander in the chair in front of her.

"What is this 'conqueror' planning? Why has he decided to attack Ylisse? What is his end goal?" Without warning, the man's eyes rolled back, and he fell forward in the chair, unconscious. "Drat! That's the third one! As much as it pains me to say it, these... these... ruffians are well-trained."

"Is that even possible? Knocking yourself out on command?"

"It appears to be." The noble sighed, then turned to the interrogation tent's exit. "I shall inform Chrom of the events that transpired here."

"I suppose I'll try and get this guy out of here."

"No need; I suspect that we will no longer have to interrogate the Valmese men. They all fall unconscious before we can get them to say anything."

"Right. I guess I'll go tell Robin, then." She nodded, then left. I stood slowly from my seat in the corner of the room, making sure to keep an eye on the knocked out soldier. "Man, that is weird." I left the tent, shaking off the ominous feeling that guy had somehow given me, even though what he said was extremely cliche. I began checking the usual places, and sure enough, sitting in the strategy tent with her head on her chin and brow furrowed in thought was Robin. "Trouble, m'dear?" She snapped out of her pose, looking up at me in slight confusion.

"Zack?"

"Yep. Interrogation was a bust; the guys somehow keep knocking themselves out. I'd say it doesn't seem physically possible, but after the things we've seen it's actually fairly normal."

"Darn. Well, at least you tried."

"Geez, condescending much?"

"Sorry; I'm just a little overwhelmed. Nightmares haven't stopped, Valm is invading, and the troops we just defeated were only the scouts; the rest of Walhart's army is probably so much stronger than them." She put her head in her hands with a defeated sigh that made my heart shatter. "I don't know that I can do it..." I walked over to her side a little more confidently than I felt, and wrapped my arms around her.

"Know what? You're right. You might not be able to do it, but _we_ can. And not just the 'you-and-I' we; all of us. We're all here for each other whether we want help or not. That's the second biggest reason of why I stayed." I felt her head lift up.

"Second?" I rolled my eyes at her obvious attempt at self-flattery.

"Yes, second."

"What's the first?"

"I think you know."

"Hearing it might cheer me up, you know."

"Suppose I can't argue with that. The biggest reason I stayed was you; the strongest, most intelligent, most beautiful woman I have ever met." I released her from the hug, a smile replacing her previous expression of doubt.

"You're pretty great too." We shared a small kiss. "Thanks."

"That's what I'm here for."

"Ah; there you are!" Chrom chose that moment to come sauntering into the tent, completely oblivious of the mood he just ruined. "I have something that I need to discuss with you."

"Both of us, or...?"

"Of course; why wouldn't it be both of you?"

"For the third time today, I find myself unable to come up with a rebuttle."

"What's the problem, Chrom?" Robin chuckled.

"It seems that, even with our combined resources, Ferox and Ylisse lack the boats necessary to carry enough soldiers overseas. However, Plegia has offered to lend a hand. They want us to meet their leader for negotiations at a place called Carrion Isle, which is only a few days out from here."

"Hm... that is quite the problem..."

"Plegia were the guys we fought last time, right?"

"Indeed. They haven't exactly been entirely trustworthy over the past few years, so I am hesitant to accept the offer."

"M'kay; just making sure I'm following."

"If you want my honest opinion, we should at least find out what they're offering. We should, of course, arrive armed to the teeth and ready for anything."

"Right. We'll move out in the morning, then." With that, Chrom exited the tent.

"Great. Yet another thing to worry about."

"Hey, 'we got this' speech, remember? It's going to turn out fine."

"I know." She gave a slight shake of her head, then stood up out of her chair. "Come on; let's go appreciate what little time we have left in this town."

"That is the best idea you've come up with all day." We locked arms, and walked out to the town we were to leave in the morning. For some reason, deep down I had a feeling that this was going to be the last semblance of a truly peaceful day for quite a while.

 **A/N: Alright; making progress! Although, when writing it, it felt like this one didn't flow too well. The most likely cause of that is that it seemed like a filler chapter to me. Next chapter definitely won't be one, though! As always, if you have any questions, concerns, comments, or criticisms, feel free to PM or review. Until the next chapter!**


	32. Chapter 32

The meeting place was imposing. The Plegian leader had decided to make us meet him in one of their outposts on the ominously named Carrion Isle, and the place was terrifying. Despite it being only an outpost, its black stone walls towered over the surrounding forest, casting an eerie shadow over the entire place. To add onto that, the walls had satanic-looking carvings on every visible surface, two or three of them looking a little familiar from back where I was from. There was one that stood out amongst the crowd, however, adorning the top of the large double doors.

"That's the tattoo on the back of your hand, right?" I glanced at Robin, who was staring up at it in determined fear. She gave a small nod. "That isn't good, is it?"

"No." Her hands curled into tight fists. "I don't think it is." I shifted closer and wrapped my arm around hers, more so for my comfort. Thankfully, she seemed to relax a bit, unclenching her fists only to tightly grip my hand. There was a pat on my shoulder as Chrom walked past, an expression similar to Robin's on his face. With heavy sighs, Robin and I followed, sticking very close to each other.

The inside was just as spooky as the out. Banners that donned the symbol above the doorway littered the building; the building was barely lit, any candles scattered throughout the place casting flickering shadows more than light; every surface had some sort of engraving on it; even the floor beneath our feet had dark purple carpets that had a sickeningly repeating, demonic-looking pattern. Then, there was the man we were going to negotiate with. Standing in front of a stained window was a tall man with the longest face I had ever seen, with his skin colour an unnatural pale purple. The smile on his face somehow managed to be both welcoming and made of poison. Behind him was an all-too-familiar woman with white hair and a very elaborate outfit. She had a similar smile as the man in front of her, though hers somehow made me shiver. Robin must have felt it, as she gripped my hand tighter.

"Ah, Prince Chrom; welcome to our little home away from home." The man gave a small, somewhat mocking bow. "I'm pleased you decided to show up." The woman stepped forward.

"Wonderful to see you all again. As you know, I am Aversa, and this is Validar, Plegia's new king and my master." She gave a similar bow. Chrom shifted over to us, eyes trained on the two before us.

"Robin; does that man look familiar to you?"

"He looks exactly like the man who lead Emmeryn's attempted assassination." Chrom gave a small nod.

"I knew it."

"It's very rude to whisper in front of others, you know." All three of us jumped slightly at Aversa's interruption. "Care to share with us?"

"Apologies; your master merely look like someone we've seen before." Validar regarded Chrom with a hint of curiosity, stroking his goatee with his right hand.

"Hmm. Well, coincidences do happen." Chrom didn't respond. "My, what a sour expression."

"Can we get to business, now? Every second we waste is a second that our enemy has to advance."

"Aren't we eager? But, I suppose I can understand. So, as for your cause, Plegia is willing to offer up 800 warships, 200 transports, and wish to fully fund the campaign against Valm. We cannot offer soldiers as we need them for rebuilding our nation." Chrom, along with everyone else, looked stunned for a moment.

"You would willingly provide us with that much?!" Chrom was first to snap out of it. "But why?"

"I hope to improve the relationship between our kingdoms. We can't have you attacking us again, now can we?"

"What's the catch?" Robin was second to come to her senses.

"Ah, Ylisse's famous tactician; it truly is a pleasure. I assure you, there is no catch; I merely wish to aid my fellow kingdom." He put on a mock puppy-dog face, which made Robin tense in what I assumed was anger.

"You're hurting my hand," I whispered in her ear.

"Oh! Sorry!" She loosened up. The commotion had, unfortunately, drawn attention to me.

"And who might you be?" Validar regarded me with a frown.

"Uh... I'm their... Close Quarters Specialist?" I looked to Chrom, who nodded in confirmation. "Still don't think that title fits... Anyway, name's Zack, I'm Robin's husband." Both Validar and Aversa flinched slightly.

"Why haven't we heard of you? Every single member of the Shepherds is renowned throughout most of the kingdoms, and yet, I don't believe either of us have ever heard your name."

"Well, I haven't exactly tried to make myself known." The tall man looked down his nose at me before returning his attention to Chrom.

"As you were so intent on leaving quickly, I suggest you do so. The ships will be waiting at Port Ferox."

"Yes, of course. Thank you for your assistance, Validar." Chrom turned to go, the rest of us starting to follow suit. Before I turned away, however, I saw Aversa give her master a little nudge, whose eyes widened.

"Before you leave, though, I would like to introduce someone to you." We stopped in our tracks, the ones who already had their backs to the leader turning to face him. "May I introduce our heirophant." From out of the shadows, a cloaked figure walked forward. They stood next to Validar, swaying slightly. I couldn't see their eyes from beneath the hood they were wearing, but I could've sworn they were looking right at me. I gulped.

"So, you lead the people in worship? I'd assume that you're all followers of Grima, based upon this place's looks..." The figure remained silent. "Sorry, have I said something to offend you?" Robin tilted her head slightly at the figure.

"...The heart still sleeps, but the blood flows through it, and the blood is strong..." The voice sounded somewhat familiar, though it felt a little hard to place. It was slightly raspy, making the distinction difficult. Robin and I looked at each other, totally confused.

"...Huh?"

"Good heirophant, I would ask that you lower your cowl." Frederick, probably sensing a small amount of danger in the situation, decided to step in. "In Ylisse, it is a courtesy expected in the presence of royalty."

"...You are far from Ylisse, Knight, but if you insist..." The figure lowered their hood to reveal... purple? The face under the hood looked exactly like the one standing next to me, only its eyes were not as kind. The woman smirked as she dropped the hood onto her back, looking across all of us. I heard a gasp come from Chrom and Frederick, and felt Robin tense, and I wondered why. My lack of shock must have shown, for when her gaze fell on me, her smirk turned to a frown.

"But you're..." Robin trailed off as she shook slightly, still staring at the woman.

"My name is Robin. That was your name too, wasn't it?" Her smirk had returned. "What a coincidence..."

"Question!" The hand that wasn't attached to Robin shot up in the air. "Why are you all surprised?" Validar, Aversa, and the Robin that wasn't Robin's heads snapped to me, all of them glaring. "Remember the thing I told you all when I got here, and what I've repeated to you probably a million times? Multiverse theory, guys! Infinite worlds, infinite possibilities, infinite outcomes, infinite versions of ourselves, remember? Geez, it's like you don't listen to me sometimes." Silence. The three Plegians were looking at me with a mixture of disdain and surprise, while the Shepherds were slowly widening their eyes, probably realizing that I was right.

"...I believe it's time you left." The fake Robin broke the silence, still staring me down with all that she had. Unfortunately for her, I was married to all that she had, so I wasn't exactly faltering under her gaze. Instead, I stared right back, which seemed to catch her slightly off-guard.

"While I don't agree with her delivery, I do agree with what she said." Attention returned to Chrom. "We need to intercept Valm as quickly as we can, and that involves leaving immediately." We all gave him a nod. "Again, thank you for your assistance, Validar, but we must be going." With that, our company turned and left, a triumphant smile on my face.

Later that day, we had decided to stop in a small, nearby valley for the night. Robin and I had both harshly objected to being boxed in while we were asleep, but there really wasn't much choice as the rest of the Shepherds were exhausted, and Chrom wasn't really up for negotiating any more that day. We did, however, manage to convince him to have us camp on the edge of the valley so that we actually had an escape route in case of an ambush. However, that whole conversation and issue wasn't what was on my mind as I walked around the area.

"Well, this is great. Camping out in an ambush-prone area after just having discovered that other people can travel across dimensions, all while moving towards another war. Fun." _Hang on, weren't you the one comforting your wife the other day, and the one who decided to speak out against the scary-looking king?_ "Hey, I can have moments of seeming confidence. Did you not notice how tightly I was holding Robin's hand? Terror makes me better at speaking." _At least it's not a terrible defect._ "I suppose." I sighed, putting a hand to my face. "It's just... everything was going so well. Little to no fighting, marriage, a stable job; then Valm decided to interfere. It's what I should have expected, but not what I wanted." _I'm a voice in your head, remember? I already know all this._ "Look, I just needed to vent a bit, alright?" Just as I was starting to feel a bit insane for having a conversation with myself, someone nearby yelled out in pain. Knowing all too well who the voice belonged to, I instantly bolted through the trees to the small clearing, where I could see Robin doubled over in pain. She was holding her head, eyes shut tight, entire body twitching. "Robin!" I ran over, gripping her shoulders. "Hey, can you hear me?" After a moment of agonizing silence, her eyes opened.

"Yes... I'm... I'm here..."

"Oh, thank Gods. What happened?"

"Validar... he... he got in my head..."

"...He what?"

"I don't know how... but he spoke to me... he... he said he was my father..."

"He had to be lying... right?"

"I'm not sure... I didn't and don't want to believe it, but when he said it, I knew he was right..."

"Great; my step-dad is scary and a follower of an ancient devil-dragon." She chuckled.

"I hope not."

"Ah; there you two are!" Chrom came running out of the foliage, sword drawn. "Hurry, Risen have encircled the camp!" Robin and I both gave him an 'I-told-you-so' look. "Yes, I know, but can we leave that for later? We need to fight them off!" The three of us crashed through the bushes back to the campsite, where everyone else had already started the fight. Risen were everywhere; archers atop the cliffs, soldiers on horseback lined the bottom of the valley, several monsters with bags on their heads dotted the horizon, and an enormous one on horseback with a tome in its hand was sitting on the bridge at the opposite end of the valley. Just as we were about to enter the fray ourselves, several shadows darted overhead. I looked up to see crows flying in from the forest; and lots of them. Soon enough, they practically blocked out the moon, only the occasional sliver of light escaping the crowd of black birds.

"Nya-hahaha! Looks like you need a bit of MURDER done! Nya-ha!" From within the swarm of birds came a man's insane laugh, which was followed by a massive shot of dark energy erupting from the murder of crows and slamming into one of the Risen, dissolving it instantly. All three of us took defensive stances as the crowd came down, slowly beginning to disperse. "No CAWS for alarm; me and my friends wanted to lend you a talon or two! Nya-haha!" As the crows moved away, a white-haired man wearing robes similar, yet different to Robin's. He had a wide smile on his face, which seemed to force his eyes closed.

"A Plegian mage? Why would you want to help us?" It was hard to tell, but I was pretty sure he looked over at Chrom.

"I saw two of you out in the forest, and thought they looked like fun! So, I decided to join you guys!" Robin and I met each others' gaze, fairly certain that he thought Robin doubling over in pain was the 'fun' he was referring to.

"Well, I'll always welcome help." With another maniacal laugh, the man ran onto the battlefield, blasting Risen after Risen with dark energy. "That was among one of the stranger things I've seen..." The Exalt turned back to us, expression turning somewhat grim. "Now, shall we defend our friends?"

The ensuing battle was chaos. Swords, arrows, axes, and magic all came incredibly close to taking off my head as our late-arriving trio made its way to the forefront of the battle, us attempting to go for the leader. Several walls of the beasts tried blocking our way, which Chrom and Robin easily cut and blasted through with me picking off any stragglers. I felt a bit useless in the fight, as I only had the gauntlets on and they weren't so great against the Risen that had decided to show up. Most of them were on horseback, and the ones that weren't either had bows, magic, or weapons that quickly recovered from deflection. So, to make myself feel a bit better, along with helping my friends out, I stopped when we reached the edge of the bridge, causing Chrom and Robin to look back.

"I'll keep reinforcements off you; just take care of the boss." They nodded, continuing towards the imposing figure commanding its forces from the middle of the stone crossing. I turned around, only to see the oncoming storm that was the swarm of Risen charging towards me. I took a deep breath, falling into a fighting stance. "Here we go."

Several of them attacked at once, forcing me into dodging and blocking, unable to get an attack in. After a few rounds of them trying to force their weapons into my flesh, they slipped up; quite literally. Due to their undead nature, as they tried to assault me, some of them tripped over the edge of the bridge to their dissolving doom. I took the opportunity to get in some good hits on them, managing to take out one or two. When they had recovered from losing allies, I was finally allowed a bit of breathing room in the fight, which meant I could freely counter. However, as I tried to retaliate, blasts of magic collided with both me and some of the enemies around me. I was shoved back by an intense Elthunder, the electricity coursing through me temporarily paralyzing me. Thankfully, I wasn't dead, but it sure felt like it; especially when the other Risen started attacking again, one of them getting a direct hit on my right shoulder. I yelled in pain as the monster's sword started sinking into my shoulder. Learning from the last time I had gotten heavily damaged by a sharp blade, my right arm came up and knocked the sword away as quickly as possible, setting the Risen off-balance. I knocked him off the edge with as strong a kick as I could muster in my still-dazed state while still trying to dodge the other Risen's attacks. Fortunately for me, that was when someone came to save my very endangered life. A horse trampled over every single one of the beasts near me, the rider's spear finishing off any that dared stand back up. I tilted my head up at my red-haired saviour, giving her a faint smile.

"Damn, kid; you don't look good."

"I don't feel all too great either. Thanks for the save, Sully."

"Well, you looked like you could use a bit of help." The cocky grin she had faded as her eyes flicked between my shoulder and my face. "Hop on; I'll take you to Lissa."

"But what about them?" I jabbed my left thumb behind me towards Chrom and Robin, who were still fighting the commander. "They still need someone to stop reinforcements."

"Don't worry; he can handle that." Sully indicated to a shirtless man currently hacking his way through the throng of Risen with an axe, a smile on his face.

"C'mon! Who here thinks they can take ol' Teach?! Hahaha!" His call to action was followed by a swing of his axe, lopping off the head of a nearby Risen, who dissolved instantly.

"It would appear so." I looked back at Sully, who was holding out her hand for me to get on. Seeing as that, by now, I had lost all feeling in my right arm, I grabbed hers with my left and we took off across the battlefield. I struggled to keep ahold of the horse due to both my vision starting to blur from blood loss and losing feeling in my arm.

"Stay with me! We're almost to Lissa!"

"I'm trying..." I could feel myself starting to slip off the horse. "Man, blood loss isn't... fun..." I saw Sully's blurred head turn back to me, jump a little bit, then bend down over the horse's neck.

"Lissa!" I could feel the rhythm of the horse speeding up before it skidded to a halt. "Heal him! Fast!" I heard rushed footsteps before I saw the yellow mass that was probably Lissa.

"Hey... I don't feel too good..."

"Oh my gosh, Zack! Try and stay awake, okay? Sully, can you get him off the horse?" I could feel Sully turn around in front of me, placing her hands on my torso with more care than I thought possible. Not totally out of it, I tried helping out by swinging my leg over the horse, which I nearly regretted as I didn't really have a sense of balance anymore, and almost just fell face-first into the mud. Luckily, both Sully and Lissa managed to catch me. "Thanks, Sully. I have him from here." I felt the wind of the horse as it sped off back into the battle. "Okay... Time to lie down." Lissa gently placed me on the ground as my legs gave out. "You've lost a lot of blood. First thing to do is stop that from happening more." There was a warm feeling in my shoulder as Lissa's staff went over the wound, probably closing it up; or, at the very least, painlessly cauterizing it. Surprisingly, my vision started coming back into focus. _Healing staves are better than I thought..._ "Well, you won't die now," Lissa started to sit me up, "but no more fighting today, mister."

"Didn't really want to."

"Good. Also, no running, swimming, jumping, or anything else that usually makes you tired." I gave her a questioning look. "I don't care if you didn't plan on doing it anyway; no being tired."

"Thanks, doctor." At that, she grinned.

"Glad to help. Oh! Also, you want to drink lots of water. Now, can you feel your legs?" I tried moving them, which surprisingly enough, worked. "Okay, then let's stand you up!" We slowly got me onto my feet, legs very shaky. The two of us started walking around, Lissa supporting me.

"Are you sure we should be doing this? There is still a battle happening."

"Hm? Oh, that. No, that's over." I looked around and, sure enough, the Risen were dispersing. As I surveyed the emptying battlefield, I could see Chrom and Robin standing on the bridge triumphantly, observing the clean-up. I tried to give a meek wave, which failed when I found I still couldn't move my arm.

"Hey, Lissa?" She looked up at me. "Why can't I move my arm?"

"Oh. Right. A lot of tendons and nerves were cut, and my staff can only do so much in one charge. We're going to have to have a few healing sessions over the next two weeks."

"Two weeks?! I won't be able to use my right arm; my _primary_ arm, for two weeks?!"

"You'll get some control in about one..." I sighed.

"Well, nothing to be done about that, I guess. My fault for thinking I could help..."

"Hey! No blaming yourself! That's the number one thing you can't do!" I smiled down at Lissa.

"Yes, ma'am. So, when can I walk on my own?"

"Should be about... twenty minutes."

"That's not so bad." I looked back up at the bridge wanting to try and signal Robin, but what I saw caught me off-guard. It was hard to tell from such a distance, but there was a third person standing near the Exalt and Grandmaster, who I could've sworn was Marth. Before I had time to say anything to Lissa, or even really comprehend what I was seeing, Marth and Chrom walked towards the forest, while Robin went the other way, headed towards us. "Huh."

"What?"

"Nothing, just... I think Marth's back."

"Marth?" Lissa scrunched up her face in concentration, then widened her eyes when she remembered. "Oh, that blue-haired girl! We haven't seen her in... over two years, right?"

"That would be the one."

"Then let's go see her! I have _so_ many questions!"

"I think she and Chrom are a bit busy at the moment." The Sage gave me a questioning glance.

"Gods, what happened?!" At that moment, Robin came running up with worry etched into every fibre of her body. "Are you okay?"

"I'll live."

"Not what I asked."

"He'll be fine. He had a pretty nasty cut in his arm, but I fixed it before it got really bad. He won't be able to move his arm for a little while, and he won't be stable on his legs for the next fifteen minutes or so."

"Thank you, Lissa. I'll take him from here." There was a very awkward trade-off as Lissa and Robin switched places. I didn't exactly feel dignified as it happened. When the trade-off was done, the princess gave us a nod, then darted off to go help Maribelle heal whomever she could. "You are an idiot." I looked at Robin, whose face was both a mixture of worry and anger.

"Yeah..."

"You could've died, you know!"

"Uh-huh."

"Think about what you're doing next time! I can't have my husband dying on me; especially when I could have done something about it!" I raised an eyebrow. "Don't you ever do something that reckless again; I don't think I can take a scare like that." I grinned. "What?"

"Oh, nothing."

"You never grin like that unless it's something."

"You're more scared about the wound after it's already been fixed than I was when it was there."

"You couldn't think straight."

"So? Fear is a base instinct, not conscious thought."

"Where's your hat?" _My wife, master of conversation deflections._ But, not really in the mood for this kind of conversation, I reached up to my head to find out that I was, indeed, missing my hat.

"Must have fallen off when Sully carried me over."

"Come on, then; let's go find it. I know how much you love that thing." With that, we began hobbling off to find my missing hat.

"How hard is it to find a piece of bright red- there it is!" We had been looking for about ten minutes, following the path the horse had taken. I was still unable to walk properly, but I didn't need as much support from Robin. She bent down to pick it up out of the mud, dusted it off, then placed it on my head. "There you go."

"Thank you." She smiled at me, but quickly turned her head. From nearby, someone had just started sobbing. "Shall we investigate?" She nodded, and we silently made our way through the trees. What we found in a small clearing next to a river surprised us. Standing there was Chrom, a crying Marth in his arms. We looked at each other with befuddlement and worry, then stepped forward.

"Chrom?" The exalt turned his head. "Why are you out here with a strange girl crying in your arms? People might start saying things..."

"Robin; Zack! There's someone I'd like you to meet." He released the blue-haired girl, who faced us, wiping away her tears.

"We've already met Marth..." I stared at her, totally lost, as she stared at me, just as confused.

"That isn't her name. I would like you both to meet Lucina."

"Lucina...? Hold on, that's your daughter's name!" I looked back and forth between the two, one smiling, the other still staring at me.

"That's right."

"How is that possible?" Robin's confusion snapped the newly named Lucina out of her staring, and she smiled at us.

"Allow me to explain. I come from a world of total chaos. Ten years from now, the Fell Dragon will reawaken, and put this world to ruin. I, along with all who survived the monster's first attacks, formed a resistance group against the beast and his army of undead soldiers; Risen, as they have come to be known. Eventually, there was a point in the war where too much of the land had been destroyed, and too many lives lost. Naga, Grima's counterpart, created a portal through time for myself and several of my comrades. However, Grima's servants managed to follow us, and events are moving much faster than they were in my time. Also..." She turned and looked at me, "I do not know you."

"Me?" I pointed to myself.

"Yes. I have memorized the faces of all the Shepherds, and you aren't among them."

"Well, before you start grilling into me, I have a question."

"What is it?"

"You said ten years, right? Well, you don't look like a little thirteen-year-old Lucina to me."

"Thirteen?" Chrom tilted his head at me.

"Yeah; she came through the portal three years ago, and said she went through ten years from now, right?"

"I can see your confusion." Lucina shook her head at me, smiling. "No, Grima merely awakens ten years from now. His conquest of the world is slow, taking five years until the damage is irreparable." The smile faded, replaced by a straight line. "Now may I ask my question?"

"Of course."

"Who are you, and why are you here?"

"Bit of a long story, but I'll say what I can." I cleared my throat, causing Robin to roll her eyes. "My name's Zack; I'm not exactly from here." She tensed. "I'm from an alternate reality, where magic doesn't exist, and swords have kinda gone out of style. I actually arrived in this world the day you did, and have been living here ever since. I did have a chance to go back to where I came from, courtesy of a few deities I once thought fictional, but I didn't want to leave someone behind." Lucina raised an eyebrow. "Oh! Yeah! Most important part: I'm married to that someone. Three guesses as to who it is." I grinned, getting a small elbow from Robin. That grin faded when Lucina paled. "Hey, you okay?"

"This is wrong... She's supposed to be married to someone else, not you... How... How can this be happening?"

"You travelled through time, right?" Her head snapped to me, then slowly nodded. "Then it's simple: you're in a different timeline. Time travel is essentially dimension hopping, transferring you from one timeline to another, except that with time travel you usually get to know where you'll end up, both time- and location-wise. Normally, you would have gone to a world where things were pretty much the same as they were in your original timeline, but something went wrong; probably the same thing that destabilized me into falling into this world. Because of the ripple in space-time, you ended up slightly off-course, where there are a few more differences between your original timeline and the one you aimed for; one of them being me." I sighed when I realized she hadn't followed at all. "Basically, you went through time, something went wrong, and you got sent to the wrong timeline." That one she seemed to understand.

"I... I see..."

"Shall we go tell your mother?" Chrom was first to break the awkwardness. Lucina looked up at him, the previous loss and confusion on her face fading as she did. She silently nodded, and the two began walking back to the camp, Chrom giving us a parting wave.

"Are you sure about her?" I looked to Robin, who was watching them leave. "She didn't prove who she was."

"Well, Chrom believes her, and we both know that despite how dense he can be, he's an excellent judge of character. If he believes her, so do I."

"You're just clinging to the fact that she said she traveled through time; all so you can continue to explain it to her."

"...You may be half-right." Robin gave a satisfied smile, then went after the other two. Finally able to walk on my own, I followed suit, albeit much slower. Despite the feeling of joy from getting to explain dimensional travel to Chrom's daughter from the future, a few bad things had happened that day. Ambushes, finding out that Validar was Robin's dad (and somehow able to get into her head), and the loss of function in my right arm.

Things were escalating.

 **A/N: How many of you saw** ** _that_** **coming? Which part, you may ask? Well, whichever one caught you off-guard the most (actually, more the Lucina thing; the other one was kinda improvised). I hope you all enjoyed the chapter; this one really was a blast to write, and I think the next few are going to be just as entertaining. Oh, and apologies if I didn't get the sypmtoms of blood loss right; I'm not a doctor. As always, be sure to review or PM with any questions, concerns, comments, or criticisms. Until the next chapter!**


	33. Chapter 33

The Ruins of Time were big. From the outside, the marble building in front of us looked very close to ancient Aztec temples, only about twice the size. Why were we there? Glad you asked. We had recently gotten back to Port Ferox, only to find that not all of Validar's promised ships had arrived. So, instead of uselessly sitting around the town for a few days, the Shepherds had consented to go to the nearby Ruins of Time, which we heard of courtesy of a not-so-subtle Anna. Frederick, Cherche, Virion, and Panne had opted to stay in the town, reasoning varying from 'We have to be vigilant' to 'The women of this town cannot be denied my presence'.

"So... we're going in, right?" Lissa's voice came from beside me as she walked up.

"Oh yeah." I tried to move forward, only to be stopped by hands on both sides. On my left, Robin was giving me an annoyed glare while Lissa, on my right, was giving me one of her more serious expressions. "What?"

"You still can't move your arm, remember?" Robin pointed to my right arm, which was sitting loosely in Lissa's grasp. "You don't get to go in first."

"Can I go in second?" Another glare. "Fine, I'll wait. Not long, though." Robin sighed, letting go of my arm.

"Sometimes you can be such a child."

"Thank you. I try really, really hard." I gave myself a stupid grin at the reference I had made, while everyone else ignored it and walked forward, entering the ruin. The inside was... odd, to say the least. Enormous chunks of the ground were missing, revealing layers and layers of temple far below. The parts we could walk on were made of segmented marble tile, with ocassional marble pillars that either extended up to the ceiling or were broken halfway up. Various carvings and paintings lined every wall, even a few of the paintings extending up to the very high roof. None of that was what made my grin disappear, however. No, what made that vanish was the hoarde of Risen on the other side of the temple, all of them heading for a lone figure in the far corner. It was difficult to tell from that distance, but it looked as if they were wearing a coat very similar to Robin's, and were holding a tome in their hands. I could feel the entire squadron of Shepherds around me tense as they drew their weapons, inching towards the Risen.

"Chrom, Sumia, Cordeila, Lon'qu; the four of you go over there and protect whoever that is!" The four nodded at Robin's command before they hopped on the pegasi and flew off, aiming to keep the Risen from killing the desperately flailing person. "The rest of you; we're going to head them off at wherever they're coming from!" The sound of armoured feet racing across the unstable-looking tiles followed her command, the group moving in almost perfect unison towards their intended target. "You," she turned to me, "stay out of trouble."

"I hadn't really planned on getting into trouble."

"Good." A peck on the cheek. "You be sure to keep whoever it is safe when the four of them bring them over here."

"Yes, ma'am!" I made a salute with my left hand, after which I gave her a goofy smile. She rolled her eyes before venturing into the fray. When she was out of range, my smile became a frown. "Now what do I do?"

"Do about what?" I jumped as Lucina walked in behind me, calm as ever.

"That." I pointed over to the many Risen currently being mowed down by the Shepherds.

"Risen?! Why are they here?"

"Well, I'd assume that it's either because they seem to be in every nook and crannie of this world, or it's because of the person being brought over here right now." The two of us looked over to the incoming pegasi, one of them holding an extra person. "The one with the cloak, in case you thought otherwise." I glanced to Lucina, who was... staring? Her intense gaze was locked on the figure on the back of Cordelia's pegasus as they came closer, previously firm grip on her parallel sword beginning to waver. "...Lucina?" No answer. I was stopped from investigating further by the wingbeats of the mythical beasts coming in for a landing, one in front of the other, conveniently blocking the new arrival from view.

"What is their name?" All eyes fell on Lucina as she stared up at her mother, entire demeanour begging her to answer correctly.

"Pardon?"

"Whomever you just picked up; what is their name?"

"Morgan; why, dear? Is there someth-" Sumia never got the chance to finish as Lucina bolted past her and Chrom, forcing her way to the other pegasus. Sumia turned to me, an eyebrow raised. I gave her a shrug.

"I've got less answers than you do." At that moment, Lucina walked backwards past me, eyes wide in fear.

"No... No..."

"Um-"

"It's not him..." She fell to her knees, eyes wide and pupils small. I looked over to what had her so distraught, and saw a girl that was no more than seventeen standing in front of Cordelia's pegaus, tilting her head in confusion. She had sandy blonde hair; it looked extraordinarily similar to mine, an older robe that was almost identical to Robin's, a cracked necklace that, despite its obvious wear and tear, was clearly modeled exactly like mine, and she wore a pair of gauntlets that stuck out from under the robe. Her deep blue eyes were staring at Lucina, just about as lost as I was. Lucina's hands rose up and clasped her head, entire body beginning to convulse.

"Lucina?" Chrom and Sumia instantly ran over, both placing hands on her shoulders. "Lucina, are you alright?"

"It can't be... It's not true..."

"Excuse me," I felt a tug on my sleeve and looked down to see the new girl, Morgan, attempting to look both at me and Lucina. "Is she okay?"

"I don't know; she's never done this before."

"...Did I cause that?"

"I don't think so; not unless you're a 'he'." She giggled.

"Nah, I'm a 'she'. Thanks for the rescue!"

"Hey, don't thank me; this whole thing was my wife's plan." I indicated over to the throng of Shepherds, who were currently finishing off the Risen.

"Well, thanks anyway! I'm Morgan." She stuck out her hand; the left one, surprisingly enough.

"Zack." I shook it. "Say, are you left-handed?"

"Yeah; why?"

"I just don't meet many left-handed people."

"Well, you met one more!"

"So I have. So, what were you doing in here with all these Risen? Not exactly the safest place to hang around."

"I'm... not sure, actually. I just kinda woke up here earlier today." Amazingly, she had a grin on the entire time she said this.

"Where do you come from?"

"I... don't know that, either. All I can remember is my Mother; everything else is a bit of a mystery."

"So you have amnesia?"

"Guess so!"

"Amazingly, that sounds very familiar..."

"It does?"

"Yep. My wife actually has it; she can't remember a thing about her past. Although, things she can't remember seem to be catching up with us." Morgan tilted her head at me. "We recently found out who her father is, and he isn't exactly the best person."

"Aw, too bad."

"Tell me about it."

"How's our mystery damsel?" We turned to see the Shepherds walking back, Robin waving at the forefront. "Are they hurt?"

"No, she's fine. Well, aside fr-"

"Mother!" Morgan ran forward, slamming into Robin with an enormous hug. Everyone jumped at the sudden charge, several thousand thoughts going through my head. "I found you!"

"M... Mother...?" Robin was staring down at the girl who had her arms tightly wrapped around the Grandmaster, whose head turned up to look at her. "I don't have any children..."

"What do you mean? It's me, Morgan; the best daughter ever!" Her hug tightened. Robin's gaze slowly tilted to me, hoping for answers. Fortunately, by this time I had one.

"I think... I think she's from the future..." I gulped. "You know, like Lucina..."

"The future..." It was difficult to tell, but the faintest of smiles flitted across her face before the same look of shock retook its place.

"What? Future? No way; that's impossible!" Morgan let go of Robin, still smiling up at her supposed Mother. Now that I had the opportunity to think about it, it made sense. The necklace, the gauntlets, the cloak, the hair; all of it stuff that we had. "I mean, you look a little younger, but still pretty much the same! By the way, I like your new makeup!"

"Morgan, right?" She nodded. "Listen. Somehow, you've managed to travel back in time; about ten years back, to be exact."

"Pssh; yeah, right, Mother. Good one."

"Take a good look at me." Robin put her hands on the younger girl's shoulders. "How much younger do I look?"

"Hmm... I'd say about ten... years..."

"And do I look like I've had kids yet?"

"N-No..." Morgan took a step back. "I-I'm in the past...? But how; why?!"

"I'm not sure, but I promise you, we'll find out. Actually, you're probably here for similar reasons to Lucina over there; she's from the future, too."

"O-Okay... I believe you, Mother... But, can I ask something?"

"Of course."

"Where, and who, is Father?"

"You mean you don't know who your Father is?"

"She's got amnesia." Their heads swivelled to look at me. "Like Mother like daughter, right?"

"That," Robin sighed, "is your Father." Morgan's eyes widened.

"I guess I would be, huh?" I sheepishly grinned, scratching the back of my head. I was forced out of that gesture when a pair of surprisingly strong arms wrapped themselves around my torso.

"Father!"

"You believed that quick, didn't you?"

"Well," she looked up at me, "when Mother said that, it just felt... right, somehow."

"Feelings are definitely a good indicator, especially when talking about any family of mine, but I need something... else to prove that I am, in fact, your Dad."

"Else?"

"If you have something on you that I would never, ever give up, then I'll trust that I'm your parent."

"But... why?"

"Because I don't want you walking around with the wrong Dad; I'd want your real parent to get to know you before I do."

"Oh. I guess that makes sense." She released me from the hug, then began searching her robe. "Let's see... What about this?" She pulled out a small, well-worn notebook.

"Nope; don't have one of those."

"Hmm..." She put it back, ruffled through her outfit for another thirty seconds, then pulled out an item that widened my eyes. "This?"

"Okay; I'm your Dad." She grinned, then crushed me in another hug.

"Really?" Robin walked over, a smile on her face. "That was what convinced you?"

"Yep." She rolled her eyes before joining in on the hug. "Not even twenty five, and already I have a daughter..."

"Are you upset about that?"

"Why would I be? I have the best wife ever, and now I'm going to have the best daughter ever. How could I be upset about that?" The two smiled at me, which I returned. After a long few minutes in this hug, we broke apart, content with meeting and reunion for the moment.

"Now, on to previous matters." Robin turned to Lucina, who was still shaking, but had managed to stand up thanks to Chrom and Sumia. "Lucina, how are you doing?"

"I... I'll be fine, thank you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I just... I need some time to think."

"Well, we still have a day or two before the ships arrive; then we have a four-week journey across the ocean to Valm after that, so I'm certain you will have plenty of thinking time." Lucina gave Robin a weak smile, shake beginning to disappear. "Shall we go, then? It seems there are a lot of things to tell the others." The small army started moving off, the two families with future children taking the rear. Chrom, Sumia, and Lucina walked in front of the three of us, the parents constantly fretting over the blue-haired daughter. Morgan took the worn red-and-black hat she still had in her hand and flipped it onto her head before taking hold of both mine and Robin's hand. Then, back to the port we went to wait for our ships to come in.

 **A/N: Surprise! ...Again... This one probably caught less of you off-guard, but it's still somewhat of a surprise, right? Anyway, I enjoyed myself writing this chapter. It didn't turn out exactly like I pictured it, and it doesn't feel like the strongest chapter, but I'm satisified with it. As always, be sure to review or PM with any questions, concerns, comments, or criticisms. Until the next chapter!**


	34. Chapter 34

The ships were a lot bigger than I thought they would be. I had been to oceanic museums before, but none of the old sailing ships there even came close to the sheer size of these monstrous sailing ships. They were about as big as the biggest ferry I had ever been on, putting the two-story houses in the port to shame. Beneath the awe at the vessel before me was a sense of apprehension. I looked over to my wife and daughter, one who looked indifferent to the ship, and the other who was bouncing on the spot with an enormous smile on her face.

"Uh," they both turned to me, "is this a bad time to mention that I get motion sickness?"

"Motion sickness?" Morgan tilted her head at me, while Robin raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah... I-I get seasick easily. I mean, I haven't ever thrown up, but I do not feel well while on boats."

"Don't worry; you'll be fine." Robin wove her arm around mine. "I'm here, and so is your... daughter from the future..."

"We have weird lives."

"Yeah." The two of us were suddenly shoved from behind.

"Come on; let's go! I wanna see the ship!" The two of us sighed, smiling, as we were pushed by Morgan onto the vessel. My smile faded the instant my feet touched the wood of the ship, stomach beginning to ever-so-slightly churn. Robin must have noticed, as her grip on my arm tightened. "I'll race you!" The other sandy blonde with us, however, ran forward into the bowels of the enormous ship, giggling the whole way.

"She never said where we were racing to." The smile made its way back onto my face as I watched her careen through the wooden halls of the ship.

"I don't think she knows herself." Robin shook her head. "We should go after her."

"Slower, though, right?" She started pulling me forward, answering my question with the slow walking speed she moved at.

"How's your arm doing?"

"I've got some feeling back in it; and look! I can move my hand." I demonstrated by wiggling my fingers and rotating my wrist. "See?"

"I'm glad it's healing."

"Lissa said that I should have it back to normal by the time we reach Valm, with full control about halfway there." I frowned. "Sorry I'm not more useful at the moment."

"You may not have use of your arm, but you can still use your head and your heart; that's what matters right now." That elicited a laugh from me. "What?"

"That might be about the cheesiest thing I've ever heard." She gave me a playful shove. "Anyway; mind if I split off here? There's something I need to talk to Lucina about."

"Are you sure? You aren't exactly stable on your feet right now."

"I'll be fine so long as we don't start moving."

"Okay. I think she went up to the deck." A quick hug later, and I was making my way up to the top of the ship. All around me, various members of the Ylissean and Feroxi armies were milling about the ship, getting themselves settled. A few of the Shepherds even made appearances, most of them too busy preparing anything and everything to even acknowledge me. It took several minutes to reach the top, partially because of the people constantly moving around, but mostly because of the ship's immense size. When I did reach the top, I caught my breath. The sky was painted a cascade of colours, starting at the orange emanating from the sun that reflected off of the ripples of the ocean, fading to yellow, eventually ending in the deep black of the night sky.

"Even seasickness can't ruin this view..." Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a blue figure standing in front of a railing, her hair flowing in the wind and gaze not really focused on anything. I walked up next to her, leaning on the railing. She didn't even notice. "Penny for your thoughts?" She jumped slightly, eyes flitting over to me for the briefest of seconds before turning back to the sunset.

"Pardon?"

"You look deep in thought; care to share?"

"...Not yet, no." I sighed, placing my head on my arms. Several of the ship's crew were running around the deck, making last-minute preparations before we set sail. My stomach did a small flip, reminding me that I should probably get this over with before I couldn't speak without nearly throwing up.

"...I think I figured it out."

"What?"

"You." Her head snapped to me. "Well, not actually you, we still barely know each other, but what's troubling you. Actually, what's troubling you is easy; you're in the wrong timeline, you're bound to be conflicted; what's troubling you about me is what I think I've figured out."

"...Pardon?"

"The way you look at me; the way you reacted when you found out who I was; the disdain that manages to seep its way into your voice when you talk to me; I think I know what's eating you." I turned to look up at her. "I didn't stay, did I?" Her eyes widened. "Ha! Knew it."

"But... how?"

"Process of elimination. I noticed how... cold every look you gave me was, despite how hard you tried to hide it. There's just something about your eyes that's trying to be hard as steel towards me, but another part is resisting it. I kinda dismissed it as I was, probably, an unknown entity in the timeline. However, that changed when Morgan came in. The way you reacted to her being there pretty much narrowed it down to two options: one, I still never came to your world and Robin still had a kid named Morgan, or two, I was there, then left before Morgan was born. Again, considering the way you act towards me, the latter has more evidence."

"Y-Yes..."

"Yes?"

"I was told stories of a man who fell from another world and captured the heart of our tactician, only to go back to his world after two years of living among the Shepherds. He shared your name, and from what I can tell, also shared your visage. None of the Shepherds blamed him for leaving; for breaking Robin's heart. I understand that that person isn't you, but I can't help but think of the you that left them all behind, and sent our tactician into tears for weeks."

"...Yeah, I can see that." She raised an eyebrow at me. "I can definitely see myself taking the offer to go back home over staying here; it is a pretty dangerous world, after all. If you ever think you can let loose all of your anger over that at me at some point, feel free to yell at me." The bluenette chuckled, looking back to the sunset.

"Thank you."

"Well, I'll leave you to your thoughts, then." I pushed myself off the rail, feeling something swim in the pit of my stomach. "I think I'm going to find somewhere to sit down before we launch."

"That task may be a little difficult." Lucina pointed to the dock, where the gangplank was being brought back onto the ship. "They only need to raise the anchor, and we'll be departing."

"Right; mach two, then." I sped off before she could even question what that was, no real destination in mind other than 'somewhere I can't see the ship moving'. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anywhere out of the way before I could feel the swaying of the ship slowly get faster, the lurching in my stomach following suit. "Wonderful..." It was at that point that I heard something banging against wood from one of the nearby rooms. Figuring that it was better for me to investigate that than moan and groan about my seasickness, I inched my way over to the door. Just as I reached for the handle, the banging stopped. I hesitated for a second before slowly opening the wooden door to see Morgan standing in the middle of the room with a slightly red forehead and a thoughtful expression. I took a step forward, which snapped her out of it and prompted her to grin at me.

"Father! I was just thinking about you!"

"You were?"

"This is fate! This is totally family-style fa- Father? Are you okay? You look a little green."

"I just need to sit down, then I'll be fine." Morgan shot across the room and proceeded to guide me to a bench that was sticking out from the wall. I sat down, noting the minuscule fade of sickness that swept through my midsection. "Now, what were you saying?"

"Oh! Yeah! Well, when you came in, I was trying to remember anything I could about you, but it wasn't working."

"Would that have been the noise I heard, then?"

"Yep; I was banging my head against the wall, trying to jarr some memories loose."

"I hate to break it to you, but that won't work."

"Well, Father, you don't know until you try!"

"Actually, that's something I want to talk to you about."

"Hm?"

"Can you stop calling me Father?" The instant look of dejection on her face upset me beyond words.

"But... don't you want to be my Father?" I flailed my arms in front of me in an attempt to stop her making that face.

"It's not that! I-I just don't want you calling me that. Call me Dad, or Daddy, or Pop, or old man; Father's a bit too formal." I took a second to think about what I just said. "Actually, don't call me Pop." I sighed with relief when I saw her smile come back, only for even more air to be squeezed out when she hugged me.

"Okay, Dad!"

"Better already." She released me, beaming. "So, back to that remembering me thing."

"Right. Yeah, hitting my head wasn't working, but I don't have any other ideas. Do you?"

"Well, maybe one. Try staring at me for a bit."

"Huh?"

"Sometimes memories need triggers to be activated; I figure that since you're trying to remember me, my face would be an excellent catalyst."

"Okay, let's try it!" We turned to face each other directly, and sat in silence for a few minutes. Morgan's face started as an intense stare, slowly devolving into a frustrated grimace. "Argh!" She threw her arms up and slumped back, still frowning. "This isn't working."

"Morgan, we've only been at it for about five minutes."

"Yeah, five minutes of nothing..."

"...Do you often give up this easily?"

"No," she sighed, "I'm just really upset that I can't remember anything other than Mother. It's weird only knowing part of your life."

"I honestly can't begin to know what that feels like, but I know I can help. I got Ro- er, your Mother to come to terms with it; I'm sure you'll be the same in no time, kiddo." I ruffled her hair, prompting her to swat at my hands, with the smile returning to her face.

"Da-ad!"

"What?"

"I'm not a little kid!"

"I can still mess with you, though; isn't that what kids are for?" She tried to glare at me, but the way she was giggling made it difficult to take seriously. "Oh! Hey, thought."

"Hm?"

"You like to read, right?"

"Of course! Who doesn't like reading?"

"Good; the me that raised you did well. Can you remember if your Mom ever read to you?"

"All the time. She used to read to me just before I went to bed; it's actually how I learned to read."

"Well, then maybe I should try reading to you. If Robin read to you before you went to bed, then it stands to reason that I did it too; heck, I'm probably the one that suggested it."

"Great idea, Dad! I'll go get a book!" Faster than I ever thought possible, Morgan shot up and dashed out of the room.

"Heh, I might get used to this." I instantly regretted opening my mouth, as a very horrible feeling made its way into my throat. _Maybe I shouldn't have suggested reading when I can barely talk..._

"I'm back!" The sandy blonde re-entered the room, an enormous yet sheepish grin on her face.

"That was fast." The feeling instantly disappeared.

"Well, it turns out I had a book in my robe the entire time..." She scratched the back of her head, looking down at the floor. "But, I did find something else!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Presenting..." she made a hand signal to someone just outside the door, "Mother!" Robin walked in the room, bearing a smile that was lesser than, yet similar to Morgan's.

"I hear there's going to be a story reading."

"There is; care to join us?" The two of them walked over and sat next to me, Robin putting her head on my shoulder and Morgan handing me the book. My eyes widened when I saw the title. "Magyk?"

"Mm-hmm! It's one of the first books I ever read."

"Good on ya, me."

"What?" Robin shifted on my shoulder.

"This is my favourite book series; the me that raised Morgan must have taken the book back with him. So, shall we get into it?" The two of them snuggled closer as I opened to the first chapter. "Chapter 1: Something in the Snow. Silas Heap pulled his cloak..."

Half an hour later, I was stuck with two sleeping girls on my sides. I couldn't help but feel... strange. It was a good kind of strange, but strange nonetheless. It was also slightly uncomfortable due to the constant motion of the ship not agreeing with me and the fact that I had two weights coming down on my shoulders, but I didn't mind. I was content to just sit there in the warmth of my wife and daughter, taking in the rocking... of the... boat... _I suddenly don't feel so well..._ Unable to move, I simply settled for trying to follow their example. It worked, and I was soon in a deep sleep, only aware of the people next to me, and not the movement of the ship. Well... mostly.

 **A/N: Another one down! Sorry if some of the things in this one felt a bit... soon to you (some certainly did to me), but it had to be a bit quick for the sake of the rest of the story. I'm going to shut my writing hole so I don't spoil anything now, so, as always, if you have any questions, concerns, comments, or criticisms, be sure to review or PM. Until the next chapter!**


	35. Chapter 35

"You're doing it wrong." I cracked open an eye to see Lon'qu sitting cross-legged in front of me, eyes shut and hands on his knees. "Your mind has to be clear; you're still thinking."

"I'm trying."

"Don't try; just do it."

"Gee, thanks Yoda..."

"What?"

"Nothing..." Several seagulls sounded off overhead, becoming just one more factor in breaking my concentration. For the last hour and a half, Lon'qu had been trying to get me to meditate in order to forget about my seasickness at my request. There had so far been very little success, only quelling the feeling in my stomach for seconds at a time. We sat in silence for a little while longer, letting the sounds of the ocean wash over us.

"...You're still doing it."

"It's a little hard to concentrate when it feels like I'm going to throw up at any second, even though I know I won't." The swordsman sighed.

"That's enough for now, anyway." I opened my eyes again to see him standing up from his previous stance. "We'll continue this later."

"Okay. Thanks for doing this, by the way."

"Hmph." He went over to the mast and started climbing, presumably to relieve the man in the crow's nest.

"He's not normally like this, you know." I jumped slightly as Cordelia came and sat down next to me, smiling at the black-haired man currently ascending the mast.

"What do you mean?"

"Ever since we found Lucina and Morgan, he's been a bit... off. He'll never admit it, but he's jealous."

"Really? Lon'qu; jealous? I didn't know he had any emotion other than stoic."

"Trust me, he does..." Cordelia blushed the instant she said that, still staring up at the swordsman. I stifled a laugh at that, lying back on the wooden deck and looking up at the afternoon sun. "So, why did you ask him to help you meditate in the first place?"

"Did you really have to remind me?" I felt my stomach rumble as my thoughts returned to the reason I had enlisted Lon'qu.

"Oh... right. I'll... I'll go see to the pegasi." The redhead hastily got up and left. Curiously, I heard a different set of footsteps approaching.

"Hi Dad!" Morgan's grinning face entered my vision, somehow slowing down the sickness in the pit of my stomach and making butterflies stir in it. "Whatcha doing?"

"Nothing now. Why; you need something?"

"Nope; just wanted to say hi!"

"Nuh-uh, I know that smile; you're up to something."

"Well..."

"See? I know my own future daughter." She giggled.

"I wanted to know if you know any good pranks."

"...What?"

"Aunt Lissa pulled a really nasty one on me this morning; she filled my shoes with flower; so I want to get her back."

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, you know." As her face fell, I grinned. "Thankfully, this is a prank for a prank." I got up from the deck, only to almost fall back down as Morgan gave me one of her intense hugs.

"Yay; thanks, Dad!"

"My pleasure. Besides, I still have to get back at her for a few things she's done with frogs to me... So, what have you come up with so far?"

"Glad you asked!" She pulled a folded-up piece of parchment from her robes. She unfolded it to reveal some very extensive blueprints. _Thinks just like Robin._ "I was thinking that we could start with-"

"You two!" Our heads jerked in Chrom's direction. "We have a problem; come on." I sighed, looking down at a slightly crestfallen blonde.

"Sorry, sweetie, but it looks like we'll have to put this on hold."

"Okay..." I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and lead her over to the group now debating what to do. We stepped in next to Robin, who was in her all-too-familiar thinking stance.

"We're here; what's the problem?"

"The Valmese have arrived."

"I'm sorry, what?" Chrom pointed out across the bow of the ship where, in the distance, red sails could be seen coming our direction.

"Right now we're trying to devise a plan to stop them. They doubtlessly have more forces than we do, making this upcoming fight an uphill struggle."

"Ah."

"Chrom," attention turned to Robin, "how much spare oil do we have?"

"Oil? We should have plenty; why?"

"We may not have more forces, but we do have ships to spare." My eyes widened.

"Oh. That is both insane and awesome."

"It's also very dangerous."

"What is?" Morgan's gaze was switching between the two of us, an eyebrow raised. Chrom was doing something similar, though with a little less confusion and a lot more worry.

"We burn their ships with our own." Our daughter's jaw dropped at her mother's statement.

"Have I said how much I like your style, kid?" Basilio was grinning at Robin. "Just one problem, though: they'll just shoot down our ships before we can get close."

"Easy enough: take out the commanding ship. Soldiers tend to panic when the ones in charge are in trouble, which should provide ample opportunity to set our ships ablaze and send them crashing into the Valmese ones." They all stared at me. "What?"

"Where'd you pull that out of?"

"Being married to a tactician has its advantages." I smiled at Robin, who returned the gesture. "That is, unless she has a better plan."

"Nope; that was going to _be_ my plan. Although, I have to add on that we only need a small force, probably the Shepherds if history is to account for anything, to head in, risking fewer lives and possibly making the trip easier."

"Right. I'll go inform the Shepherds. Basilio, Flavia; could you two please inform the other ships of our plan?"

"Already on it. Come on, oaf; let's go."

"Hey, you may be the Khan, but you can't order me around." The duo walked out of earshot, still bickering as per usual. With a nod, Chrom did much the same, though without the arguing.

"As for you two," I looked at Robin, who was staring at us with a very stern expression, "you will be on the boats."

"But Moooommm!"

"No buts; you and your father aren't going into this fight."

"I understand her, but why not me?"

"Punch me."

"What? Why would I do that?"

"Just do it." Noting the deadpan expression on her face, I decided to oblige. I reeled my right arm back, thrust it forward, and... barely squished the fabric of her cloak. She raised an eyebrow at me.

"Yeah, okay..."

"Wait, why can't I fight? Dad might be out of commission, but I'm not!"

"Morgan, I need you to protect your father. If anything happens, he can't protect himself right now, so I need you to do it." At that, Morgan grinned, giving her a salute.

"Can do!" She gave each of us a hug, then ran off to who-knows-where. I moved closer to Robin, who draped her arms over my shoulders as I held her waist.

"Nice excuse."

"Well, thinking about how to get out of situations is my job."

"Oh, is that why we're in this war mess?"

"Ha-ha."

"Sorry; couldn't resist."

"So... are you really okay with being out of the battle?"

"So long as I'd be a burden rather than an asset, I'd rather stay out of it than fight in it. But that does raise the question of: what will I be doing to help?"

"Oh, that's simple: you're going to light the boats." It was my turn to raise an eyebrow. "You'll be on the main ship equipped with a Fire tome, and fire off a shot when I give a signal."

"You're having the guy who's seasick, albeit mildly, on a boat that is the crux of your plans in order to set it on fire."

"No, I'm having the person I trust most on a boat that is the crux of my plans in order to set it on fire."

"Oh. Well, when you put it like that..." I grinned at her, which she responded to by gently grabbing the back of my head and pulled me in for a sweet kiss. When we broke off, she gave me a small smile before walking away with a somehow very seductive wave over her shoulder, presumably going to help with preparations. "How come I never got this lucky _before_ I got sent to a war-torn world?" I sighed. "At least the good outweighs the bad..."

"Dad, are you okay?"

"Oof... I'll get back to you in a minute." Morgan and I were standing on the lead self-destructing ship, looking at the battle taking place. I had a Fire tome in hand, and I was not feeling good. It might have been the stress of the situation or the much rougher waters brought on by the increased number of moving ships, but my seasickness had escalated quite a bit. Every time I opened my mouth to try and talk to Morgan, it felt like I was going to vomit out my lunch. My legs were wobbly, and it did not feel right to do anything other than try and stand completely still. Morgan was under one arm trying to support me, while the other was gripping the railing.

"Maybe I should light the boat..."

"No, I've got it." _I hope._ At that moment, the entire ship jolted, nearly sending the two of us flying off our feet. As soon as we regained our balance, we looked forward to see the enemy's commanding ship rapidly sinking into the water, an enormous crack running up the entire side of the wooden hull.

"Dad, I think that's the signal!"

"Right. You get off the boat; I'll light it." The blonde gave me a worried look before nodding and running to the edge of the ship, hesitating on the railing for a brief second before jumping off. With as much strength as my very horrible-feeling body could offer, I thrust an arm forward and let the magical energy of the Fire tome course through my body, manifesting itself as a fireball that shot out of my outstretched hand. It struck one of the many oiled spots on the deck, igniting around half of the ship the second fire met oil. Giving a look around to see both if there was anyone left on the boat and if the other boats had been lit yet, I saw several burning vessels headed forward alongside the one I was still on. Nodding in satisfaction, I ran over to the railing as fast as my wobbly legs would take me, and followed my daughter's example. Salt water clouded my vision as I broke the ocean's surface, attempting to stay calm amidst the roar of the fire and the rush of water. Once the violence of the water had died down, I propelled myself to the surface, looking around to see a maelstrom of fire. Every single Valmese ship was now on fire, most of them having been rammed directly by one of our empty ships. Before I could assess anything further, I heard something swimming towards me, and turned around to find a smiling Morgan.

"We did it!"

"Of course we did; did you doubt us?"

"N-No..."

"I heard that hesitation." Before Morgan had a chance to respond, a whinny overhead cut her off. Above us, Sumia and Cordelia were circling lower and lower, coming in for the rescue.

"Are you two okay?"

"Fine, thanks." Sumia pulled me up onto her pegasus, while Cordelia pulled up Morgan.

"Thank goodness." With kicks to their steeds' sides, the two ferried us over to our currently fleeing ships. Upon landing, we were both immediately inspected by Robin for any injuries, with the younger of us being checked first. When she had looked over the small blonde and given her a hug for good measure, she lightly placed her hands on various parts of my body, looking for anything wrong. There was nothing wrong with me, however...

"What's that?" I pointed to her right leg, on which a small spot of red was slowly growing.

"What's what?" I knelt down to look at the spot.

"That."

"Oh, it's nothing. Just a small splinter I got-"

"No, splinters don't cause you to bleed. Why are you being so evasive about this? It's not like you haven't been hurt before."

"I know, I'm sorry, it's just... every time I've gotten an injury, you've blamed yourself for it. I didn't want you doing that again." She knelt down. "And don't say you could have done something this time, because you couldn't have. If anything, we both would have gotten hurt."

"I suppose I do have that problem..."

"I wouldn't necessarily call it a problem." We smiled at each other.

"Aaawww!" Our heads snapped to Morgan, who was looking on with practically sparkling eyes. "My Mom and Dad are the cutest thing in the world!" I could feel my cheeks burning at her remark, and I could see out of the corner of my eye that Robin was doing much the same. I cleared my throat.

"Anyway, we should get you to a healer."

"But-"

"No, you won't be stopping them from healing everyone else. Their job is to heal the injured, and you're injured." I got up from my position, taking her with me.

"I suppose you're right." I made a sweeping motion in the direction I assumed the healers were.

"After you, milady."

"Thank you, good sir. Although," she pointed off to the left of where I had, "the healers are that way."

"That's why I said 'after you'; I don't know where we're going." She rolled her eyes, and started walking off with a slight limp. I rushed over to the side that was limping and held her arm, hopefully holding her up slightly. Her smile grew a little, and we walked off to the healers', a few troubles behind us, but an entire continent more before us.

 **A/N: Not much to say on this one; kinda speaks for itself. As always, if you have any questions, concerns, comments, or criticisms, don't hesitate to leave a review or PM. Until the next chapter!**


	36. Chapter 36

I was practicing my guitar with all the skill my uncomfortable insides would allow me when the helmsman shouted across the boat.

"Everyone be ready; we land soon!" I got up and dashed to the front of the ship to see that we were indeed about to land. I gave a small fist-pump before setting my eyes on the town we were probably going to land at. To the untrained eye, nothing would be out of the ordinary, but due to my time with the Shepherds, I saw a little bit more than the untrained eye. I could see people frantically running through the streets, sometimes followed by someone covered in armour and wielding a weapon of some kind. I sighed.

"Of course; we couldn't possibly land without anything going wrong." I jogged down the length of the ship, searching high and low for a certain purple-haired beauty. I found her below decks, talking with Gregor about something. "Hey, we've got a problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"The town we're about to land at looks like it's under attack."

"Of course it is." She sighed putting a hand to her head.

"That's what I said."

"Ha! Is small problem for army like Shepherds; the town will be saved before night."

"I hope you're right, Gregor. Okay... can you go tell Chrom to get everyone prepared for the fight?"

"Gregor will be swifter than winged horse!" The large mercenary took off through the ship.

"So, what did you see? What are we up against?"

"I couldn't see much, but they were armoured and had rather high-quality weapons. I'd say that they're probably Walhart's front lines, intended to go just after the scouting ships reported back."

"Hm... alright, give me a few minutes, and I'll have an idea."

"Mkay. I'm gonna go get ready; see you in a few." I gave her a peck on the cheek before going off to the ship's armoury.

By the time we arrived, the town was mostly overtaken. Soldiers of varying skill and expertise lined the streets, their red armour barely disguising the flecks of blood on some of them. The civilians were either hiding in their houses or fleeing the streets, aware of the coming battle. A commotion across from the main entrance drew our attention; the soldiers were hunting down a woman in purple armour, who was desperately trying to get away.

"Hey, you!" Chrom's shout made a few soldiers' heads turn. "Surrender now, before anyone else gets hurt." They all chuckled, turning their full attention to us, barring the ones currently after the woman. "Wonderful."

"Chrom," I put a hand on his shoulder, "guys like that never listen to surrender speeches."

"I suppose I should have learnt that by now."

"Still, props for trying."

"Right. Shepherds, to arms!" The driving force of the Ylissean army moved forward, a few staying in back. Those few were Robin, Chrom, Morgan, and myself. "Robin, do you have a plan?"

"No." The brief shock on Chrom's face was priceless. "But Morgan does." She smiled at the sandy blonde, who grinned from ear to ear, eyes practically sparkling. "Take it away, sweetie."

"OK!" Morgan leapt into action, scanning the battlefield with her innate tactical genius. "This shouldn't be too difficult... these guys are more talk than they are fight. Still, there are a few magic users we need to be careful of, quite a few armoured guys, and some higher-skilled cavalry. Hm... Okay, let's have some of our faster units go over and help that girl, while the rest form an easy-to-defend offense. Did I do good?"

"You did wonderfully."

"Yes!" The tactician-in-training gave a small fist pump. "Okay; I'm gonna go help out up front!"

"Stay near Maribelle and Lissa; and don't get in too much trouble!" She waved at my shout as she shot across the cobblestone floor of the town's entrance. "Man, she's a handful."

"Already falling into the role of doting parent," Chrom laughed. "My, you adapt quickly."

"Aren't you the one who's keeping his daughter within sight at every waking hour?" He cleared his throat.

"I'm going to go and help Frederick out front."

"You do that." I smiled at him as he jogged away, heading to his excuse to leave the conversation. "Okay," I turned to Robin, "so where do you want me?"

"I want you to help protect that woman."

"On it." I gave a mock salute and ran off in the woman's direction, giving the occasional kick/punch to any nearby enemies. Weaving and bobbing through the throng of soldiers, I quickly made my way over to the woman, who literally had her back against the wall. Knocking one of them out of the way, I pressed myself against the wall with her. "Hi there."

"Who are you?!"

"I'm a Shepherd; you've heard of us, right?"

"Aye, the Ylissean force is famous throughout the land."

"Good. Let's get you out of here, then." I grinned, then moved forward, dodging around an enemy spear before giving a swift punch to the face followed by a kick to the gut, which made him reel back, falling flat on the ground. My still-in-the-air leg reached out and hit another one across the back, the other leg swiftly coming up to his head to knock him out. There was a noise behind me, so I moved to the left, narrowly avoiding the last one's downward slash. I knocked the blade to the side with the nearest hand, then turned and gave the soldier a momentum-infused uppercut, sending him flying and knocking him out cold. The one I had hit first was slowly getting up, a bit shaky but still conscious. Before I could do anything more, the woman rushed forward with a swift chop to his neck, which finally kept him down.

"I did not know there was a warrior who fought without a blade among the Shepherds."

"Yeah, I'm not really one to stand out. Anyway, come on; you should probably speak with Chrom."

"The prince is here himself?"

"You won't be so surprised when you meet him." I gestured for her to follow, then started making my way across the now much emptier battlefield.

"Zack!" I looked up to see Sumia coming in for a landing. "I thought we were supposed to save her." She indicated to Sully and Stahl making their way over.

"Well, gotta make up for my lack of help over the last few weeks."

"Hm. Okay, Miss..."

"Say'ri." The woman bowed to Sumia, who blushed a little.

"U-Um, okay. Hop on, and I'll take you somewhere safe."

"With all respect, my lady, I would be more suited to fight, though I lack a weapon."

"Oh, I can help with that! Get on; I'll take you to the convoy." Say'ri nodded, then mounted the pegasus just behind Sumia. A swift kick to the steed's sides and the two were off, heading through the sky to the armoury. Sully and Stahl must have seen them leave, as the two immediately followed behind, falling back to the rest of the Shepherds. Unfortunately, that meant that the soldiers they were fighting now had only me to focus on.

"Great," I sighed. "Alright; let's do this." Two of them came charging at me from either side, one with a spear and the other with an axe. I moved between the spearman and the end of his spear, effectively making the weapon useless. A swift jab to the shoulder stunned him for a second, giving me enough time to deflect the axe currently trying to cut me in half with my gauntlets. A kick to its owner's hand launched the weapon skywards, making him step back in shock. A back kick finished off the spear user, while an elbow to the neck knocked out the axe wielder. Thundering footsteps alerted me to the two cavalry units charging at me. I took a more defensive stance, ready to try my best, but it turned out to be unnecessary. An enormous burst of lightning collided with both riders, paralyzing them where they were.

"You okay?" Robin ran up to me, worry on her face.

"I'm fine, thank you."

"You're bleeding!"

"Hm?" I looked over myself to see that I was, indeed, bleeding from a small spot on my right arm. "Huh. I guess feeling isn't entirely back yet."

"Come on; I'll take you to Lissa and Maribelle."

"Lead the way." She took me by the hand, and we headed off.

After the battle, I found myself with very little to do. Robin was busy with cleanup, Morgan was boasting to Lucina about her successful strategy, Chrom was ensuring that everyone was alright, and everyone else was just plain exhausted.

"Pardon me," well, almost everyone. I turned around to see Say'ri walking towards me. "Might I speak with you?"

"Sure."

"First, I must thank you for saving my life." She bowed, making me feel quite flustered. "That is a debt I hope to repay someday."

"H-Hey, you don't owe me anything. I was just doing the right thing."

"Fie, you speak too humbly! You charged to my rescue with only gauntlets to protect yourself; you are more deserving of thanks than you know."

"You won't give up on this, will you?" She chuckled.

"It is only right."

"Already using my own words against me. I think we're going to get along just fine."

"Aye, I hope we will. For now, there is another matter I wish to discuss with you." I nodded, signifying for her to continue. "I had heard from some of your allies that you and Robin had not yet had your honeymoon."

"...Yeah..." _Why is she talking about that? Why is that even part of her business? We just met, and she's already getting into my personal affairs!_

"There is a Sakura grove near this town; it may be a very romantic destination." Somehow, she managed to keep a neutral face while she spoke of my love life.

"Thanks, but honeymoons typically take more than a day. Plus, the middle of a war isn't exactly the best timing." She sighed. "But, it might be nice for a little day trip."

"Aye, that is probably a better solution."

"I'll go ask Robin about it. Thanks for the heads-up, Say'ri."

"You are most welcome." With another bow, she left.

"Well, that was... interesting."

"What was?" I jumped, turning around to see Robin with an eyebrow raised.

"Geez, you startled me. Say'ri was telling me about a Sakura grove not far from here, and suggested we use it as a honeymoon."

"Sakura grove?"

"Do... do you not know what a Sakura tree is?" She shook her head. "Ever heard of Cherry Blossoms?" Another shake. "Okay, we're taking a day trip there, then."

"If we are, we'd better do it now. Chrom wants to leave first thing tomorrow."

"Alrighty then. Grab Morgan and we'll have a bit of fun!"

"Do you even know where it is?"

"No, but I bet I know someone who does."

"If you're sure."

"I am."

"Okay. We'll meet you at the edge of town in... fifteen minutes?"

"Sounds good." She gave me a peck on the cheek before walking off. "Okay, now to find our guide." I clapped my hands together, surveying the area before taking off in a direction, fairly certain of who I could grab.

"Wow!" Morgan raced ahead, giggling as she ran in circles, arms spread wide, through the slowly falling pink petals. "This is so cool!"

"Knew you'd like it." I smiled at her antics, watching as Lucina, our guide to this place, walked forward to try and calm down the scurrying blonde.

"Don't bother." Lucina turned at Robin's voice, who was currently attached to me via my hand. "She's a very stubborn and excitable girl; reason is often useless." Lucina sighed, shrugging before continuing past Morgan and farther up the hill of Sakura trees. "I didn't know trees could look like this."

"Yeah; pretty crazy the first time you see it, huh? I remember thinking how strange it was when I saw pink trees."

"Mm. You know, Say'ri was right."

"About what?" She squished herself closer to me.

"About it being pretty romantic."

"You think so?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, first of all," I pointed to Morgan, now entertaining herself by constructing small figures out of petals. Robin sighed, nodding. "And second, pink's overrated as a romantically invested colour. Personally, I think a nice aqua or cyan is better."

"Oh really?"

"Really. See, pink is closer to red, which elicits a more primal or aggressive feeling, while blues are more commonly calming, making it feel, to me, that-"

"LUCINA?!" I was interrupted by five or six yells from atop the hill. We gave each other a glance before racing up there, Morgan close behind. When we reached the source of the yells, we were met with a somewhat strange sight. Lucina was sobbing with a smile in the middle of a large group of people all around her age. One was a rather scary-looking boy with a scar going down his face, bright orange hair, and what appeared to be a healer's uniform. One was covering part of his face with his hand, brown hair spiking up in what could only be unnatural directions, with a sword at his side. Another was a bubbly-looking girl with blue pigtails that I could've sworn I had seen before; beside her was another boy with an enormous grin on his face, light brown hair slicked back in a very suave manner. Next to them was a very scared-looking girl with a semi-revealing outfit and white hair. Standing next to her in a very similarly fearful manner was an extremely hairy boy with long, rabbit-like ears and a small tuft of pale blue hair at the center of his forehead. And, strangest of all, was a boy that looked nearly identical to Morgan, though with much lighter blonde hair and a slightly more serious demeanour.

"I can't believe it..." Lucina started turning in circles, eliciting a smile from each face she scanned. "I'm not alone here... You're here!"

"What a glorious day!" The one with his hand over his face stepped forward. "My legendary cousin, after travelling these strange yet familiar lands for untold years, has finally found our squadron of heroes, who have been roaming the same lands in search of-"

"Owain, no need to go overboard." The light-brown haired one slicked his hair back, giving the one now named Owain a snarky smile.

"Wh- Inigo, you interrupted me!"

"I know."

"Stop yer whinin'!" The scarred one stepped between them, brandishing a staff that made the other two flinch. "Th' last thing Lucina'd want to see after comin' back is you two bickerin'!"

"It's okay, Brady; I don't mind."

"A-Are you sure, Lucina?" The scared-looking girl spoke up, though she was quite hard to hear.

"Of course she's sure, Noire!" The pigtailed girl bounded forward, wrapping an arm around Lucina's shoulders. "My big sis can handle anything; especially those two!"

"Big sis?" The entire group jumped, turning around to find us, Morgan standing in front, head tilted to the side. "You're Lucina's sister?"

"Hm? Who are you?" The girl unlatched herself from Lucina, moving closer to Morgan.

"Perhaps I should introduce you all." Lucina took a deep breath. "Everyone, this is... Morgan. Morgan, these are more of the Shepherds' children."

"Morgan?" The blonde boy's head swiveled between Lucina and Morgan.

"Yes."

"But... I'm Morgan..."

"Cynthia!" Attention turned to me. "I knew I'd seen you before; you're Cynthia, right?" The girl with the blue pigtails nodded. "Remember me? I found you in a side room one night, looking for your mother! I guess that means you were looking for Sumia, huh?"

"Uh... yep..."

"Stop, stop, stop!" The boy Morgan held his hands up. "First off, how can there be two mes, second, who are you," he pointed to me, "and third: hi, Mother!"

"Mother?!" Robin took a step back. "I have another kid?"

"Another?"

"Well, before this escalates any further: hi, I'm Zack-"

"You're WHAT?!" Male Morgan took several fierce steps towards me, seething with what could only be described as pure hate. "Why are you still here, you sick son-of-a-"

"Morgan, stop!" Lucina stood between us, arms outstretched. "This is not the Zack you know."

"Out of the way, Lucina." I actually shrank back from his growling voice. "I have to get him away from Mother."

"Morgan, would you please listen to me?" She put her hands on his shoulders, though his gaze still went past her and seared its way into me. "Calm down, and I can explain this."

"Yeah, Morgan." Cynthia made his way around, stopping between Lucina and myself. "He's not so bad." I could only assume that the intense glare shifted from me to the pigtailed girl, as she jumped, reeling back slightly.

"So... I guess you know Dad, then." Some of the attention returned to my daughter, who was very clearly trying her best to diffuse the situation.

"...I'm going to go somewhere else. Just keep him," he indicated to me with another fierce glare, "away from me." Shoving Lucina off, the boy Morgan stormed off, quickly vanishing amongst the falling cherry blossoms.

"I'm sorry about that," Lucina sighed.

"Ah, don't worry about it. Well, don't worry until he actively tries fighting me." That elicited a small chuckle from a few of the surrounding people.

"So all of you are Shepherds' children?" Robin stepped forward, her head slowly turning as she surveyed the crowd. A collective nod answered her question. "Well then, we should bring you back with us. I'm sure your parents will be ecstatic to learn they have children." They all looked to Lucina.

"It's fine; we can interfere." Several whoops rang out, and half of the group raced ahead. "I'll be sure to tell him our... circumstance." Lucina went to follow, the remaining members tailing her.

"That was... interesting..." Robin nodded.

"Mom, Dad; why is there a boy me?"

"Haven't I told you about multiverse theory before?" Robin sighed.

"Don't do that, sweetie; you won't be able to get him to stop talking."

"Okay... I'm gonna go find out more about these new guys; they seem like fun!" She gave us both hugs before dashing off, occasionally flinging her arms through the air to send the pink petals swirling.

"Fantastic; even more handfuls to deal with..." I sighed, looking ahead, completely unfocused.

"We'll get through it." Robin gripped herself to my arm. "We've weathered worse."

"Yeah..." I smiled at her, and we started off after the new arrivals, hoping against hope that everything would turn out alright.

 **A/N: So, what did you guys think of this chapter? Personally, I think that the first part of it wasn't all that great, but a few scenes came together quite well. I dunno; my feelings are very mixed on this one. Next chapter, we head farther into Valm, and discover a few new things about our old friends. Ooh, and bonus points if you can come up with a good nickname for Male Morgan, because the one I came up with is pretty mundane and terrible. If you have any questions, concerns, comments, or criticisms, be sure to review or PM with them so I can know what you think, and possibly improve my writing for next time. Until the next chapter!**

 **Also, quick shoutout to Mixed Valence, who just started his own self-insert, Earthborne, that I had a small part in helping get posted. Go check it out; it's really good!**


	37. Chapter 37

"Not this again..." I sighed as the male Morgan, whom had started being referred to as 'Marc' so as to not confuse the two, glared at me from across the training field. "I know he has problems with me, but couldn't he find a better way to be angry?"

"Sorry; it's the only way he knows how to be mad." Cynthia, my current sparring partner, glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "Actually, I think it's the only time I've ever seen him mad."

"That's... comforting." I shook myself. "Alright, ready to go?"

"Bring it on!" The pigtailed girl leveled her lance at me, as I raised my sword and shield. Considering that Frederick had gotten both Robin and I a shield for a wedding present, I figured we could stand to use it more, initiating a long string of attempts at getting someone to try and spar me so I could improve, most of those attempts being met with solid 'no's. Thankfully, the future children didn't really know my super defensive fighting style, so when I asked Cynthia, she jumped at the chance. We circled around each other, watching to see who would attack first. Cynthia lunged forward with all her might, which I quickly deflected with the shield, knocking the weapon far to the side. I heard a small gasp come from the bluenette, which was followed by her spinning in a circle to bring the lance to my other side. I slid back, narrowly avoiding the end of the lance.

"Not bad; using the momentum I gave you against me. You fight about as well as Sumia."

"Really?!"

"Well, except that Sumia knows how I fight. She can beat me every now and again; you, right now, can't."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yep."

"I'll show you!" _Excellent; inspiring/antagonizing her worked_. I grinned, falling into a slightly lower stance as the girl rushed forward again, this time making a feint forward before swiping down to try and trip me. As soon as I saw the direction change, I adjusted to accommodate, jumping over the pole before stabbing down with my sword, pinning the lance to the ground. Without wasting a second, I moved in, swordless, blocking Cynthia's attempt at striking back with my shield and giving her a swift punch to the gut. It winded her, making her stagger back against the railing. I spun around to give the shield momentum, stopping just as the edge touched her throat. The girl's eyes were wide, constantly switching between the shield at her neck and the grin slowly finding its way back to my face. "Wh... what?"

"Training for over three years with an incredibly skilled mercenary, a professional swordfighter, a tactician, a tough-as-nails knight, and the Exalt can give you some pretty good skills." I took the shield away from her. "Still, that was a pretty good feint; I almost didn't catch it."

"Thanks." I looked around her to see Marc now walking off, his shoulders very tense. "You know," I returned my attention to her, "I never thought that you'd be like... this."

"This?"

"Yeah; all nice and stuff! I mean, when Aunt Robin was telling us about you, she always seemed so sad, so we all thought you were... well..."

"A bit of a jerk, right?" Cynthia nodded. "Well, to some people, I can seem like that at times. Although, I've never had someone outright hate me before." Just then, something clicked. "Hey, you called her Aunt Robin!"

"Yeah, well... When we got to see her, she was always so kind to us; almost like she was part of our family. And now that we're here, it just feels right."

"Hopefully, you guys can think of me like that someday..."

"Really? You... you want us to call you 'Uncle'?"

"Well, I mean... not necessarily, but... it wouldn't be so bad..." I could feel myself scratching the back of my head, though my focus was elsewhere.

"But... why?"

"Uh, well... No, it's a bit silly; you don't need to hear it. For now, just... it's a reminder."

"I wanna know too!" The two of us jumped as Morgan appeared next to us, eyes shining with curiosity. "I have to learn everything I can about you, Dad, so tell me!"

"I'm curious myself." Robin walked up behind her. "A reminder of what, exactly?"

"...My family." Cynthia and Morgan exchanged glances, while Robin's expression saddened slightly.

"Family? But we're here; why would you need to be reminded of us?"

"No, not you." I patted Morgan on the head. "The family I left behind; my parents, my sisters, my grandparents, my nephew, all my aunts, uncles, and cousins. Don't get me wrong; I'm very glad I stayed here, but I do still miss them. It actually started escalating again when you showed up; I've been wondering what they'd think of you." I gave a sad smile. "I'm sure they'd love you..." Robin barged her way between myself and Morgan, enveloping me in a firm yet gentle hug. "Thanks..." I returned it with just as much vigor. "Sorry about that; it's just that with all the crazy stuff happening recently, it's all been kinda piling up in the back of my mind..."

"Don't worry, Dad," Morgan joined in, although she actually began to crush us, "we're here."

"I know that- especially with the way you're crushing us!"

"Morgan, please stop; I can't breathe!"

"Whoops!" She released us, giving a shy smile.

"See? This is what I mean!" Cynthia was making wild gestures, a huge smile on her face. "We all thought you were an awful, terrible person, but you're not!"

"Most of the time."

"Excuse me, aren't you supposed to stick up for me? Isn't that what marriage is somewhat about?"

"Not at all."

"What a loving family I have." I grinned, giving Robin an eye-roll. "Anyway, might I ask what you two are doing here? I know it isn't just to invade Cynthia and I's sparring match."

"Well, it's actually about them." She gestured to Cynthia and Morgan, who looked at each other in slight confusion. "Could you girls excuse us? My husband and I have some things to discuss."

"Um... Okay. C'mon, Cynthia; let's go play Justice Cabal with Owain!" The two girls charged off, giving us one last wary look before departing.

"So what's the problem?"

"Well, there are a few, but one of the biggest ones is Marc."

"Figures."

"His mood isn't exactly beneficial to those around camp, and that's mostly due to our association with you. He... well, to be frank, he hates you so much that he can barely talk to anyone that even thinks of you as a friend, aside from me and... his father."

"Oh. Right. That whole... mess. How's Libra taking his surprise parenthood, anyway?"

"That's the problem; he isn't."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Libra's kind of denying that Marc is his son. They still spend time together, but not in a father-son kind of way, and I think it's being detrimental to Marc's attitude."

"He just needs time to adjust... right?"

"I hope so."

"Well, Marc's got a wonderful mother that'll help him out, right?"

"Right." Her downtrodden, distracted expression broke my heart a little.

"Okay, enough of that; on to happier subjects."

"Zack, this isn't something-"

"I'm not ignoring it, I'm just... postponing it until we have a solution." She sighed. "Procrastination is key right now; especially if we're talking about morale here. You're the army's leader, we can't have you being all upset."

"I'm not the leader."

"You may as well be. Plus, my point still stands; we can't have you being all sad. So," with all the grace and skill of a man who had only done this once before, I swept her up off her feet and started carrying her bridal-style. "Time to have a bit of fun!"

"Stop it; put me down!" she giggled. "We can't just skip-"

"Again, not skipping, just postponing." She gave a giggly sigh, leaning into me.

"Okay. Where are we off to, then?"

"Hmm... Double date with Chrom and Sumia. Er... actually, no, that probably isn't a good idea; I think they still need time to process having two daughters. Lissa and Stahl are too busy fussing over Owain... Ah! Olivia and Ricken! Wait, no; they have Inigo now. Um..."

"Lon'qu and Cordelia?"

"Perfect!"

"Are you sure you want to be carrying me like this?"

"Do you doubt my strength?"

"No, I just don't want you to be tired later."

"I can handle carrying you around for a few minutes; besides, it's kinda fun. After all, it's making you giggle, isn't it?" I shifted her around a little more violently than necessary, eliciting another small bought of laughter. "Right; let's go find them!" With a first wobbly step, I marched off through the makeshift camp, wife in my arms and targets in mind.

That evening found the four of us sitting on a picnic blanket on a grassy bank next to the nearby river. Cordelia and Robin were making most of the conversation, Lon'qu mostly sitting off to the side, with only my occasional input. Eventually, though, the talking petered out, leaving us sitting in a comfortable silence, the rushing of the river providing suitable ambiance. Robin and I were leaning into each other, staring up at where treeline met darkening sky. A sigh escaped her.

"You were right. I needed this."

"All of us did." Cordelia was cleaning up, even after both Robin and I insisted that that be left for later. The perfectionist had turned out to be a lot more stubborn than I had thought. "This whole... thing with the children of the future is a bit... overwhelming."

"Hmph." Lon'qu was helping her, though his expression was much less serene. Cordelia gave him a light whack on the arm, giving him a steely glare. "What?"

"Don't be acting jealous when they invited us out!"

"Jealous? Hardly. I'm just aware that the complicated parts of having children from the future is his fault." He made a gesture towards me. "If he had gone when those... things had asked him to, then there wouldn't be two of the same kid running around."

"Lon'qu!"

"Don't worry about it, Cordelia; I'm used to this kind of thing. Especially with Marc around."

"That's the problem, though." Robin sat up straight, staring me directly in the eyes. "You shouldn't get used to it: you should fix it."

"Um."

"I know he hasn't been here too long, and that it won't be better overnight, but you need to start as soon as possible. Don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful for the distraction today, but you can't procrastinate forever."

"Why are you pushing this so much? He only arrived three days ago!"

"And in that three days, what have you done to talk with him? Huh? Have you even attempted to say hello?" I shifted uncomfortably. "Exactly. I know what you're like, and I know that you'll put off anything you don't want to do indefinitely, and I don't want you doing that with him. I know it may seem like I'm being pushy, but I'm only being like this because I love you and want what's best for you." She squeezed my hand during the last sentence. I stared into her hazel eyes for a second before letting out an enormous sigh.

"You're right. I'll... I'll talk to him tomorrow." I could see her brow beginning to furrow. "It's too late to do it now, especially since we're gonna be marching very early in the morning."

"I guess I can live with that."

"Good. Now, can we please stop with the family drama? The four of us did come here to relax, after all." Robin chuckled before putting her head on my shoulder. Lon'qu and Cordelia sat down next to us in a similar position, although Cordelia was nearly asleep on the swordsman's shoulder. "By the way, I accidentally eavesdropped on a talk Lucina and Cynthia were having, and apparently there are more kids out there. I heard something about meeting up with them later before I walked away." Lon'qu inhaled sharply, his body tensing in very clear excitement.

"That's... good to know." A smile flitted across his face. We devolved back into a comfortable silence that lasted until the last rays of sunlight vanished among the treetops. We stretched, yawning, and walked back to camp making light conversation on the way. Our two couples parted near the first tent we came across, heading to tents of our own. Robin and I flopped onto the cot that made up our bed, and were asleep within minutes. No matter how restful our sleep might have been, I had a haunting feeling about the coming morning.

 **A/N: So, halfway through writing this, I discovered that I have absolutely no idea how to write drama like this, as I have never experienced it. This, uh... this is going to be interesting. Anyway, if you enjoyed, or if you didn't, feel free to put any questions, comments, concerns, or criticisms in a review or PM. Until the next chapter!**


	38. Chapter 38

That morning never really came. The entire camp was awoken by a scout returning basically yelling bloody murder; Walhart's army had taken over the base of our destination, the Mila Tree, and was now coming for us. We wasted no time in packing up camp, we were ready within minutes and following Say'ri to the Tree. I assumed.

"Hey, Say'ri?" I matched pace with the swordswoman, who glanced at me from the corner of her eye. "You said that the Mila Tree was big, right?"

"Aye."

"Then why can't I see it? I mean, I know the trees would block out most of the view, but we were in a clearing last night and I couldn't see the thing."

"Ah, that is simple: there is a barrier that surrounds the Divine Tree, keeping prying eyes from seeing it."

"A barrier?"

"Aye."

"Huh. Well, are we past the barrier yet? I'd really like to know what this tree looks like." She chuckled.

"We are nearly there."

"Excellent." Just then, I felt something boring holes into my very being. At that point there were only two possibilities: one, Marc was trying to destroy me with just a look again, or two...

"Have you said anything yet?" Robin was trying to intimidate me. Well, more than try because it worked.

"N-No..."

"You promised."

"And I will! It's just that we probably don't need to start any more drama before a fight, you know?" Her staring, somehow, increased in intensity. "I-I'll talk to him soon, I promise." She raised an eyebrow. "Cross my heart and hope to die." I drew an 'X' over my heart with one finger, the other hand held up next to my head, palm outward.

"Well, I don't want you to die, but thank you." She relaxed, though only slightly.

"Trust me, I don't want to die either." I gave a grin, which seemed to loosen her up just the tiniest bit more.

"Behold; we have reached the barrier." My head whipped around, searching for a shimmer, a distortion, or anything to indicate the presence of the barrier. However, I found nothing.

"Are you sure, Say'ri? I don't see anything."

"I have passed through this way many times; I am certain." She took a few steps forward, then beckoned for the rest of us to follow. I looked back to the others, most of whom shrugged before walking forwards. I followed suit, still curious as to why the barrier itself wasn't visible. Just as I passed the spot Say'ri had been in not too long ago, a shiver ran down my spine; the same shiver I had been taught signified magic. My gaze snapped up to the sky, which was now filled with the branches of an enormous tree.

"Woah..." I craned my neck to see as much of the enormous plant as I could, its shimmering leaves just barely visible above the foliage surrounding us. "Oh; it's a light refraction barrier!"

"A what?" My vision changed direction to the confused face of Robin.

"The barrier that's around the tree; it's refracting the light in a way so that the tree is only visible from certain angles. That's why we couldn't see it as we were walking up: the light around it is being bent so that nobody can actively search for it until they're close! It's ingenious!" She laughed. "What?"

"You're adorable."

"Huh?"

"You get so excited when you can explain stuff like that; it's cute."

"Well, you should see your face when you come up with a winning strategy; it's probably the second cutest thing in the world."

"Second?"

"Sorry, first spot was taken by Morgan."

"I can live with that."

"I hate to interrupt, but I'm afraid that there are a few more... concerning things at the moment." Inigo came up beside us, pointing towards the base of the monstrous tree. Nestled in its roots were various spots of red armour milling about, no doubt aware of our arrival. "Does our beautiful tactican have a plan?"

"Married. And not yet; I still need the scouts to come back with the enemy positions."

"Drat. Well, no matter what your plan happens to be, know that we will all follow you to the ends of the world." With a wave, the suave mercenary returned to the other future children, immediately flashing Cynthia a wink. Surprisingly, she blushed.

"That's... interesting."

"Certainly not something I would have expected."

"Ma'am!" A soldier came running up, a rolled-up piece of parchment in his hand. "The scouts have returned, and we have our map."

"Thank you, soldier." She took the paper, unrolling it to reveal a crude yet detailed map of the twisting tree roots. "Hm... I should have something in just a few minutes." The soldier saluted, then turned around and ran off. "Okay, let's see..." Her face scrunched up in concentration, eyes darting all around the map in front of her. _Earlier point: proven._ I took a few cautious steps, not wanting to break her concentration, then moved to find Chrom.

"Shepherds: remember the plan." A collective nod from the surrounding warriors currently hidden at the edges of the enormous sacred tree's roots confirmed that they were aware of their tactician's plan. "Alright then. Move out!" Chrom swung Falchion forward, battlecries and stampeding feet following the action. I found myself alongside both Morgan and Owain somewhere in the middle of the horde of fighters, very aware of our part.

"Are you two sure about this?"

"Yep! I may be your little girl, but I'm tougher than a lot of people, which you should know by now, Dad."

"My sword hand has been itching to release its pent-up rage against evildoers for nights untold now; I, the mighty Owain Dark, am prepared for anything that may come our way!" The swordsman made a few colourful gestures as he talked, earning a small chuckle from me and an actual laugh from Morgan.

"Okay then. Let's get to work." The two of them fell slightly behind me as the other Shepherds started breaking off, clearing out the other roots. The three of us were headed up the middle one, my shield protecting us from any projectiles along with a little help from Morgan. There were only six soldiers protecting the commander at the back; two each. "You two know what to do!" With a burst of speed, the two children ran ahead of me, Owain's sword striking two of the soldiers across their chests, which didn't do too much due to their armour, and Morgan firing off a couple of Thunders at two more, forcing them to move. The last two charged towards me, spear and sword at the ready. My shield deflected the spear, while the swords clashed.

"You will not reach Cervantes!"

"Cervantes, huh?" With an enormous push, I forced the two back a little ways. "Interesting name." They didn't miss a beat, instantly reaffirming their stances and immediately attacking. _Definitely not mercenaries._ This time, the one with the spear feinted an attack similar to his first one, while the one with the sword swept for my legs. Unable to really defend against both swipes, I moved out of the range of the spear while putting my shield to the ground to block the sword. Unfortunately, this left me with quite a large opening, allowing the spearman to get in a free hit. Fortunately, however, he wasn't able to hit me with the metal tip, so it was only a smack with the wooden pole. It still really hurt. Pushing through the bruise I knew I was definitely going to feel later, I swung my sword at the spear, knocking it out of the soldier's hands. The other one raised his sword again, hoping to catch me while I was busy with his friend. My shield came up to stop the attack, briefly stunning him due to the force of his swing. I swung out in an arc with my sword, hitting both soldiers. The former spearman was knocked out on impact with my dulled blade, while the swordsman was only knocked to the side. When he had recovered enough from the blow, he looked at me increduously.

"Your... your blade's..."

"Dull, I know."

"Then why are you at the front? Cervantes cannot be taken down with a dull sword!"

"I'm clearing the way."

"...Pardon?"

"You see, my wife's on the way." I grinned, locking swords with the soldier again, watching his face as I heard two pairs of footsteps running up the root behind us. "Go get 'em, honey!"

"The Exalt and his tactician?! But that means..."

"Yep." I swung my shield around, hitting the man in the side, knocking him off-balance. Now out of the clash, I was free to strike between his shoulder blade and spine with the pommel of my sword, knocking him out. I caught him with my foot before he fell off the root to his death, swivelling him so that he couldn't roll of in his sleep. Looking up from my now completed task, I saw that Owain and Morgan had just taken down their targets; funnily enough, Morgan's two were also just unconscious. "Are you two okay?"

"Nothing can stand against my sword hand when it craves blood!"

"We're fine, Dad."

"Good, 'cause we're not done yet." The three of us lined up, facing down the root. There were a few straggling soldiers coming towards us, half of them heavily armoured, some of them heavily armed, and a few mages scattered between. "Morgan, plan?"

"Uh..."

"Gotta be a bit more 'spur-of-the-moment' there. Morgan, you cover us from a distance. Owain, get behind me; I'll defend against anything you can't while you take down as many as you can; no killing, though, okay?"

"It will be difficult to hold back the raw power of Owain Dark, but I will try."

"You can count on me!"

"Alright; let's get to defending, then!" I lifted up my shield, future children behind me, ready to fight in whatever way I could.

After we had defeated the apparently well-bearded Cervantes, whom escaped before we could capture him, Say'ri had led us towards a staircase winding itself around the trunk of the Mila Tree. About halfway up, I took a deep breath. _Well, better try and get this over with._ Setting my sights on Marc, I quickened my pace up the stairs, hoping to catch up. Unfortunately, I was met with resistance.

"Zack, might I speak with you for a moment?" A hand fell on my shoulder, and I turned to see Libra's normally calm face currently twisted into one of confusion and concern.

"Sure, Libra," I sighed. _Well, I guess I have to talk to him too, don't I?_

"This whole... situation is a little strange to me."

"Trust me, you're not alone."

"I'm... unsure as to what to do." I raised an eyebrow. "I don't believe that I am fit to be a father, yet I cannot turn away someone in need. Marc appears to be fairly attached to me, so, in his time, we must have been very close. However, some part of me does not want him to get close. Since he is technically not my own child, something within my being wishes him to be with his real father, which I don't believe is me. I would give the responsibility over to you, but his... distaste for you has soured that idea."

"...Are you serious?"

"Pardon?"

"You're pushing him away because he isn't your own flesh and blood? Libra, you _are_ his father, whether it be from the wrong timeline or not. I've seen enough sitcoms to know this situation: the original father, you, doesn't think he can be a good father. The step-father, me, has to come in and tell you that you can do this, no matter what you think. It's a bit more complicated at the moment because Marc hates me so much, which I'll have to address soon, but it's the same basic premise. Just... try a bit harder at it, alright?"

"I... I will try."

"Good."

"Although, there is also the problem of Robin."

"Hm? Oh. Naw, she's cool with it. It'll only be awkward if you make it awkward."

"I hope to Naga that you are right."

"I am."

"On that note, may I ask you a few questions about parenting? If I am going to be his father, then a few tips may be necessary."

"Sure. First and biggest one, though: you get used to it real fast." The talk with Marc would have to wait.

Well, sort of. Time flew by as Libra and I talked, and we barely noticed when we had reached the top of the tree. We were tipped off to the situation when the tree beneath our feet turned to stone. My jaw hit the floor when I found out what was on top of the sacred greenery. Nestled amongst, or, really, enveloping the upper branches of the tree was an enormous stone temple that looked somewhat Aztec, complete with mossy stone floor. Several granite pillars, half of them either cracked or completely broken, littered the stone courtyard, really emphasizing the age of the place.

"This is where the Voice sleeps?" Chrom was in a similar amount of awe, though he was able to form coherent sentences.

"Aye." Say'ri was still walking forward, headed for the temple's entrance. "Come; we must see if Walhart's forces made it to her." Say'ri stopped just before the door, then cupped her hands to her mouth. "Lady Tiki! Are you here? Are you unharmed?" An agonizingly slow moment passed when the possibility that the Valmese had gotten to one of our biggest hopes passed through everyone's head, but the tension was relieved when a green-haired, long-eared woman walked out of the temple, rubbing her eyes. She gave a loud yawn.

"Say'ri? I am here. What is the issue?"

"It is good to see you, my lady. If you were not already aware, there is an issue wit-"

"Marth?!" Tiki, suddenly devoid of the sleepiness she had a second ago, ran forwards, closing the five-metre distance between herself and the Shepherds in seconds. Not paying too much mind to most of our ranks, other than gently pushing them out of the way, she made a B-line for Lucina. "Mar-mar, is that you?"

"I'm Lucina, though I once called myself after the Hero-King; perhaps you knew me then?"

"Oh, I apologize; you merely reminded me of someone I used to know. I'm still a little sleepy." She gave Lucina a sad smile.

"You knew the Hero-King?"

"I did, once." Her head suddenly snapped straight, slowly turning to face Robin. "You..."

"Me?"

"You have power like mine."

"Pardon?"

"Forgive me; I'm still tired. I do not have total control over what I say. Hm... you have something... else, too." She pointed to me.

"Sorry, what?"

"It is power, but not yours..."

"Um." Tiki shook herself.

"Sorry. So, what brings you all here?"

"Lady Tiki, there is a man who seeks to overtake the continent with force." Chrom went up to her, one of his more serious expressions on. "He goes by Walhart the Conqueror, and his tyrranical reign is quickly covering the land. I'm afraid that we can't save these people by ourselves; we need your help."

"I will gladly help if my people are at stake. However, I am not at my full potential. I must gather power from the Divine Dragon shrine that is south of here, just beyond the Wyvern Valley. If you are willing to take me there, I will help you in your retaking of my land."

"Thank you, my lady. We welcome the assistance."

"You should rest here for the night; it would not do to be exhausted in your next fight." Chrom gave a tired, yet relieved sigh. "For now, I will..." she yawned again, "rest until morning. Good night." With a smile, the Voice of the Divine Dragon wandered back into the temple, presumably falling asleep immediately.

"Right." Chrom whirled around. "Let's make camp, then!" Sounds of relief rippled through the gathered warriors as they dispersed, finding the best places they could to set up their tents. I, on the other hand, was being stared at by my wife.

"What?"

"You know what. Did you talk to him?"

"Not yet..."

"Zack...!"

"I'm going, I'm going!" I could feel her eyes boring a hole through my back as I walked away, intent on finding my wrong-future step-son. "I've just realized how insane this entire situation is." I chuckled to myself. "Guess this is what I signed up for, huh?" Just then, the flash of a black-and-purple cloak caught my eye headed away from the camp. Figuring that Morgan would probably be hanging out with Cynthia or Noire, I decided to follow. The fleeting edge of the coat managed to wind and weave its way through what was almost a forest of the tree's branches before coming to what appeared to be a balcony made of branches, railing included. Marc was leaning on said railing, light blonde hair whipping around in the wind commonly associated with this kind of height. Deciding to take a page out of every single dramatic scene like this, I silently walked up next to him, leaning over the railing myself. "Hey." He growled and moved back, starting to walk away. "Wait, don't go! I wanted to have a dramatic, father(ish)-son moment, which can't really happen without the 'son' part."

"...You're not my dad."

"I know; that's why I said 'ish'." Apparently, my humourous attitude wasn't really helping as he growled again, taking a few more steps. "Alright, I'll stop with the jokes. We really need to talk, okay? If not for my sake, then for Robin's. Can you do that?" He turned around, fire flickering in his eyes.

"You get two minutes."

"Thank you. First thing's first, there's something I really want to know: what happened in your time that made you hate me so much?"

"...You left."

"Oh, THAT's wh-"

"You left without saying goodbye."

"I did what now?"

"Mom's told me the story a thousand times over. You and her had been dating for just under two years when something came to take you back. She told me that you went through whatever thing they conjured up without saying anything to anyone. Mom was so upset that she was driven to religion, my Dad, for something, anything, that could take her mind away from it. It never worked. The last time I saw her, she still had a broken heart."

"I-"

"NO! I'm not done! You broke my home, broke my Mom, left my world to die, and you never looked back!"

"I don't think you can really-"

"My Dad; I love him to no end, but it wasn't the same with my Mom. She loved him, but she still lingered on you." Tears were starting to form in his eyes. "At least my Dad stayed; at least he died trying to save the world! What did you do?! You ran! You ran and left all of your troubles here!"

"Marc-"

"We're done. Your two minutes are up." He turned and stormed off, breaking as many branches as he could along the way. I could barely wrap my head around what just happened. _As if quantum mechanics weren't enough, now there's a me that knowingly left someone without saying goodbye? That doesn't seem right._

"I'll... I'll figure that out later. First..." I tilted forward slightly comically as I moved out, despite there being nobody there to see it. Making my way back through the twigs and leaves that decorated the top of the Mila Tree, I eventually made it to the temple. I scanned the tents now set up around the place, searching for someone. "Ah! There." My determined walk continued on, target getting closer. Her purple hair flicked around as her head turned to face me.

"Oh, hey. So, how'd it-mmph!" I grabbed her by the waist, pulling her in for a deep kiss. I felt her surprise at it, which was soon abandoned as we both gave way to our instincts. This lasted until we needed a break for air, where we both broke off.

"I love you." Huh. _Didn't know I had that in me._

"I love you too- where did that come from? Not that I'm complaining."

"There's- there's a few things I just found out that we should talk about later. For now, can we just relax a bit?"

"S-Sure. Want me to grab Morgan?"

"No, just the two of us."

"I think that can be arranged." She smiled, wrapping an arm around my waist and guiding me off across the temple grounds. The next few days were going to be interesting.

 **A/N: How'd I do? I feel pretty good about capturing anger, and the fight was alright, but I want to know what you guys think. Was it done to satisfaction and beyond or does it need work? I'd really like to know this time; it'll help my writing skills a lot. So, if you enjoyed, or if you didn't, feel free to leave any questions, concerns, comments, or criticisms in a review or PM. Until the next chapter!**

 **Oh, and updates may start getting scarce; I've got school starting soon, and I've had a sudden burst of inspiration for my actual, non-fanfic, it-exists-I-swear, book that I've been stuck on for a few years now. So, I might start focussing on that as opposed to this story; don't worry, I'll still be writing this as it's an excellent source of feedback, but updates will be a lot less frequent. Sorry about that, but it's out of my hands for the most part (Plus, Sun and Moon is out, so that's gonna take up any time I have left).**


	39. Chapter 39

"Geez, is that really what happened?" I nodded at Lissa, whose expression was a mixture of pity, sadness, and bewilderment. "Aw, I'm sorry to hear that."

"I just hope I can find a way to make him see that I'm not that me... man, this is actually starting to get confusing."

"Finally! We've all been wondering when it would start being weird for you!"

"Hey, it's been weird since I got here, alright? It's only just started getting way too complicated." The expression she gave me could only be described as: she was saying 'Uh-huh', with more sarcasm than I thought possible for anyone to give. It was somewhat unnerving. "It's true! From both sides, too, I'll bet! Having a guy fall from another plane of existence onto one of your enemies isn't exactly something that happens all the time."

"Well, duh! I'm not saying things haven't been weird since you came here; I'm saying that it hasn't done much to phase you."

"…Yeah, I am kind of a freak in that regard." A triumphant smile crossed her face. "Though I'm still about as much of a freak as the rest of you."

"Hey!" I gave the now pouting Lissa a goofy grin.

"So how're things going with Owain? I bet he's a bit of a handful."

"He's not _so_ bad; he's just a sweet boy that nobody can really understand."

"Can't understand?"

"Yeah; he speaks so weirdly that nobody really knows what he's saying."

"I guess his speech is rather… Shakespearean." The Sage raised an eyebrow. "Famous playwright; had very colourful language. I could swear I've said that before." She shrugged.

"Probably."

"At least he doesn't have any problems with you or Stahl, though…"

"Yeah, I am glad about that; and that it isn't awkward."

"Awkward?"

"Y'know, like Virion and Panne."

"OHHHH."

"Oooh, and Henry and Tharja."

"Ha! I'm just glad that Tharja isn't after my blood anymore; I mean, she still threatens to curse me, but it's certainly less frequent than before Noire showed up."

"That's… good?"

"'Good' is a little too strong; acceptable is more fitting."

"Milady; Sir Zack." Frederick chose that moment to intrude upon our little conversation. "Apologies for interrupting, but Milord and our tactician require the two of you."

"Both of us?" Lissa raised an eyebrow. "You sure, Frederick? They know I don't understand all that tacticy stuff."

"Lord Chrom requested you specifically. So yes, I am quite certain."

"Um… okay."

"Maybe your brother thinks you're secretly a tactical genius now." I got a silent glare from the blonde. "Anyway, come on; we're needed." Frederick bowed to us, going off in another direction before us remaining two headed for the strategy tent. "Where's he going?"

"He's going to see his _lady friend_!"

"Lady friend?"

"Yup! Him and Cherche have started getting _pretty_ close."

"Really…?" I parted the tent flap for the Sage. "Huh. Didn't know Freddy had it in him."

"Our resident knight has something other than meticulousness in him?" Robin gave me a smirk from across the tent. I walked over, giving her a peck on the cheek.

"It makes sense; I mean, you're more than just tactics." I received a smile and a light elbow. "Anyway, whatcha need us for?"

"Yeah, Chrom; you don't usually get me in these kinds of things."

"Well, Robin here has been having some… difficulty in planning our attack on Fort Steiger."

"Right." Robin leaned over the map laid out on the table, prompting the rest of us to do the same. "I'm having trouble figuring out where to put the healers, and since you're our most prominent healer, I thought you could lend a hand."

"Hm…" The princess put a hand to her chin, studying the map for a moment before getting a large grin. "Got it!" Her finger flew to a spot on the map, right next to a mark that was representing the future children. "Right there!"

"There?"

"Yep! I figure that the kids and us healers can work together best. Plus, then I get to spend time with my little boy!"

"Hm… I wouldn't call him 'little', but you do have a good idea, there. I'll work on it. Thanks for the input, Lissa."

"Happy to help!" The blonde gave a salute, then marched out of the tent, head held comically high.

"Right." Chrom pushed himself away from the table. "Unfortunately, I have to be off; I assume you two have this under control?"

"Of course," we answered simultaneously.

"Good. I'll leave you to it, then." Giving a curt nod, the Exalt left to attend to other duties. Right then was the moment I had been waiting for.

"Say, mind if I run an idea by you?"

"Oh, no."

"Yeah, I'm kinda… kinda thinking that myself." She raised an eyebrow. "I was thinking… I was thinking that maybe I should give in, just a little, to the 'evil' persona Marc seems to think I have."

"What do you mean?"

"Blackmail, essentially."

"What?!"

"Don't worry, I'd never _actually_ blackmail anyone; just a bit of… incentive."

"You don't sound like the man I married right now."

"I know… I feel dirty saying this, but it might be the only way for him to see that I'm not the me that left. Are, uh… are you willing to listen?"

"Just so long as you're sure."

"I'm not, but it's the closest thing I've had to a good idea about this." She sighed, sitting down in one of the wooden chairs.

"Okay. I'm listening."

"So, I've noticed him and Lucina hanging around each other a lot lately. I figure that they've either got some kind of secret relationship going on, or one has hidden feelings for the other. Either way, this still works. I'm going to make a noncommittal threat of telling Chrom about it if he doesn't start giving me a chance; you know, maybe hang around me a little more."

"I… I see…"

"There's a lot that could go wrong here, so I want to know what you think." The silence that followed was heavy enough that I felt my legs start shaking.

"While I don't exactly approve," she grasped my hand, "I can't see any other fast way; and we need fast if we're going to have you two around for the next little while."

"I should hope I'm going to be around."

"Me, too." She stood up from her seat. "Now, if you don't mind, I have some tactics to go over."

"Hey, whaddya know, so do I! Although, mine's a little more personal." We wrapped our arms around each other, the faint lavender scent in her hair tickling my nose. "See you later." She gave me a wave as I left the strategy tent and back out into the fresh evening air. As soon as I did, however, a black-and-purple coat retreating into the woods caught my attention. "Welp, may as well get this over with." I adjusted my hat and made after the fading figure, ducking and weaving through the light underbrush. The small chase took us to the edge of a nearby cliff, the sinking sun casting a golden pallor across the horizon. Sitting with her legs hanging over the side was Morgan, not the Marc I was expecting. I shrugged and plopped down beside her, making my daughter jump.

"Dad!"

"Heya, kiddo; what are you doing out here?"

"Just… thinking…"

"Oh yeah?"

"Mm-hmm…"

"Y'know," I leaned back on my hands, "thinking happens to be my specialty." There was silence for a few minutes, the birds slowly going back to their nests the only sounds to break it. Then, she sighed.

"Daddy, are we… are we the good guys?" I jolted upright, looking at her sullen expression with my own occupied by surprise.

"Woah, where'd this come from?"

"In the last village we came through… there was this little girl, and she seemed so scared of me."

"Ah. I see." I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. "I'm not going to lie, that's a tough question. Sure you don't want to ask an easier one, like how babies are made?"

"Da-ad!" She gave me a light shove, giggling. "That's gross!"

"Guess you already know that one, then." I grinned down at her. "Not glad I missed having to tell you that."

"Can we go back to my question, now?"

"Uh…" I sighed. "Again, no easy answer, but I think I can ease your mind. I don't know if we're the good guys or the bad guys, and I'm not sure I'll ever know. However, I do know this: I know that we, the Shepherds, are spending every day trying to make a world where everyone is free to make their own decisions. Even though I never know if I'm on the right side or not, I feel that I'm doing the right thing because I'm fighting for a free world for my friends, my family, and everyone else on this planet. When we get to interstellar travel that last one's going to change to 'universe', but that's still a while away. Did that help?"

"Not really…"

"Yeah, don't entirely believe it myself. But, hey, it's all I've got." I ruffled her hair. "Doesn't really matter, though; I trust you to make the right decisions for yourself. After all, you're my daughter, aren't you?"

"Thanks, Dad." Her arms flung around me in a hug, which I gently returned.

"For what? I didn't really say anything."

"No, but you believe in me, and that's worth a lot more." She backed out of the embrace. "That, and you tried to help, no matter how badly you failed." The sandy blonde squinted at me. "But you already know that, don't you?"

"Ha! You can read me as well as your mother can." I ruffled her hair again, which she flailed at me doing. "Come on, then; we've got a fight in the morning, so you need to go to bed."

"Dad, I'm not a little kid, I can figure out when to go to bed myself."

"Hey, I'm going to bed too."

"Uh-huh."

"I am! Your mother is too; trust me, I've known her long enough to know what both she's going to do and make me do."

"…Hmph." She crossed her arms, giving off a pouting face that practically screamed 'Robin' to me. "I guess if Mom's doing it too…"

"That's the spirit." We got up from the edge of the cliff, night finally making itself known. The two of us parted ways at the edge of the camp, both of us heading to our own tents. Upon entering, I was instantly greeted by the light snoring of Robin, who was fast asleep on our cot, strategical map lain across her chest. I couldn't help but smile at the sight, carefully removing the large map before lying down beside her. As one of my arms made its way behind her head, a soft smile appeared on her face before the warm dark of sleep overtook me.

The next morning, the entire group of Shepherds were standing just inside Fort Steiger. Its large, intricate walls felt almost claustrophobic despite the building nearly rivalling Ylisse's palace in size. As seemed to be a recurring theme with these intimidating enemy outposts, banners with their leader's symbol lined every single wall, only broken up by the occasional statue that was either of the Conqueror himself or an ancient historical figure. Scattered amongst the lack of furniture and scary-looking statues were several Valmese soldiers, a few of them looking just the smallest bit terrified. A loud yelling of 'Kill the Shepherds' from the back interrupted my scanning of the room as the soldiers started moving forward, though their movements were cautious.

"Okay, you all remember the plan?" A collective clink of armour signified that we had, making the tactician smirk. "Good; we need to be out of here in time for lunch. Chrom, if you would?"

"Right. Shepherds: into the breach!" The small army gave off a raucous cheer, every member moving off into their designated positions. The main bulk of the ragtag group of warriors, which consisted of everyone barring myself, Robin, Chrom, Lucina, Morgan, and Marc, split into two and set about taking over both sides of the Fort. The six of us were tasked with taking out the leader, which intelligence had told us was a woman named Pheros, who was apparently a rather formidable Valkyrie (which I was still reeling over the fact that Valkyrie was a real class of warrior). My shield deflected as many attacks, both magical and physical, from the sides as I could manage to block. The magic users among us lashed out with their tomes, knocking back any enemies that even tried to get close while Chrom and Lucina led the charge, striking their way through whatever resistance our small group encountered. Progress was unfortunately slow-going, but it was going as we moved forward through the throng of enemies, sparks, swords, gusts, flames, and axes flying all around our heads. Eventually, however, we made it to Pheros' chambers, where she was waiting for us with her elite guard protectively surrounding her.

"Looks like there's one for each of us. Morgan, Marc; you two take the ones on the left. Chrom, Zack; you two take the ones on the right. Lucina, you're with me; we're taking down Pheros."

"If any of you end up dead, I'll kill you myself." I gave a grin to the audience, most of whom returned it, Marc being the only one to completely ignore me, just heading towards his target. "Man do I need to remove that stick from his butt…"

"No time now," Chrom clapped a hand on my shoulder, his expression grim, "we have a battle ahead of us."

"Yeah, I know." I pulled up my sword and shield, directing them at the two soldiers that Robin had designated for us. "Let's see if you can keep up."

"That's my line." He smiled, pointing Falchion to his target.

"Be careful, though; they might try attacking together. Which, now that I think about it, doesn't sound like a bad idea…"

"I have to agree. Shall we?"

"Lead the way, my liege." I hoped that the disdain for using 'my liege' was able to seep its way into the way I said it as we charged forward, my shield landing the first blow. Chrom's sword immediately followed, forcing the first one back. The second one came in from the other side, swinging his sword wide. I deflected the strike with my own sword, attempting to follow it with a kick that the man easily dodged. The first one had recovered by now, taking my very compromised stance as a signal to attack. Unfortunately for him, Chrom was ready, slicing across his armour-plated chest with the Falchion, knocking him back. My shield then swung around, deflecting the second one's sword before my own came in and hit him between plates of armour, seemingly knocking the wind out of him. Not wanting to waste the opening, I kicked again, this time foot actually connecting with enemy, pushing him up against the wall. A quick, sharp pommel smack to a spot just between his shoulder and neck and he was out cold, sleeping body slumped against the stone barrier. I spun around to help Chrom, but that proved wholly unnecessary as he had already beaten his foe, giving me a thumbs-up.

"Shall we go help our tactician?"

"No, I think she's got this." I pointed with my sword over to Robin, who had Pheros battered and in a corner, a smug smile on my wife's face. "You know, as per usual."

"Right now, I don't envy you."

"What, you've envied me before?"

"In ways and experiences, yes, but not in people."

"Good diplomatic answer, there; you really are cut out to be an Exalt." He punched me on the arm, laughing as he did so. "Geez, how do your punches still _hurt_? I would've thought over three years would be enough to make it so they didn't…"

"We've been growing stronger together, so I can still knock you around."

"I'll catch up soon."

"You'll try." The two of us grinned at each other, moving over to Robin alongside the future children. "Robin, what's our status?"

"The others should have cleared out the fort by now, and Pheros is out for the count." She indicated to the unconscious Valkyrie, who was twisted in an odd position in the corner. "I'd say we've been successful."

"Fie, I will have to disagree!" Say'ri came running in, panic covering her entire being. "There are reinforcements entering the Fort as we speak!"

"What?!" Robin's previous smirk disappeared, replaced by something that I had only seen once before, on the day we had failed to save Emmeryn: determined fear. "But how—who?!"

"The… some of the rebels have turned on us." The Chon'sin warrior looked to the side, regret evident on her face. "I… I know some of them by name…"

"It isn't your fault, Say'ri." Chrom put a hand on her shoulder, attempting to comfort the woman. "It's Walhart's for instilling so much fear in these people." He looked back to the purple-haired tactician, raising an eyebrow. "So, what do we do?"

"…We have to leave."

"What?!" The Exalt whirled around to face her. "But we just overtook this place, we can't leave now!"

"Sorry, man, but she's right." I sighed, sheathing my sword. "We'll all be caught, or worse, if we stick around. I hate to leave this place to Walhart, trust me, but we won't win against him if we try and hold this place now. Maybe if we had a bigger force with us we could do it, but right now…"

"Sometimes I hate it when you two agree with each other… Alright, fine. Shepherds!" His voice echoed around the entire building, nearly making me clamp my hands over my ears. "Time to leave!" He nodded to the six of us surrounding him before giving a 'follow me' wave and taking off down the corridor. We followed suit, carefully avoiding any former resistance members that were flying into the building at an incredibly too-fast pace.

"I didn't know you were tactically smart too, Dad!" Morgan ran alongside me, earning herself a questioning glare courtesy of me.

"You didn't think you got it _all_ from your mother, did you?"

"She certainly gets _most_ of it from me." Robin caught up, grinning. "But yes, your father can be smart when he tries."

"Thank you for the extreme vote of confidence." She leaned over and gave me a peck on the cheek, still grinning.

"Stop that; we're still not safe." Marc pushed between Robin and myself, causing us to exchange worried glances before focussing back on moving forward through the Fort, which was slowly filling up with resistance fighters. There was almost a wall of them in front of the last door out, forcing Frederick and Cherche, who, along with the rest of the Shepherds, had caught up by now, to clear a big enough opening for the rest of us to just barely escape the building that was gaining volume. Once our group was far enough away, we stopped running, Chrom angrily punching a nearby tree and almost felling it.

"Damn it! We were almost one step ahead of Walhart!"

"I think we still can be." Robin had a hand on her chin, eyes glazed over in thought.

"How?"

"If we can find a way to divide his forces, we might just be able to make it to the capital and take off the head of the beast. Problem is, we'd need a big enough distraction up north while we take out the, presumably easier, forces led by Yen'fay to the south."

"Why didn't you ask sooner? I'll gladly show that man a thing or two!" Basilio strode over, a cocky grin on his face.

"Khan Basilio? Are you sure? You might not make it back…"

"Bwa ha ha! Like that's ever stopped me before!"

"Maybe you'd still have both eyes if it did, oaf." Flavia appeared next to him, her expression remarkably grimmer. "I'm going with you."

"Ferox can't have _both_ its Khans dying on a different continent; you gotta stay here, woman."

"Don't you try and use some false bravado to get me out of this, fool; a Khan has to protect her people, and what better way than to show that Conqueror what Ferox is all about!"

"Well then, looks like you've got your distraction, girl." The former Khan gave Robin a hefty pat on the back, clearly winding her. "When do you need us?"

"As soon as possible."

"Gotcha. We'll take our leave, then; don't be surprised if we don't come back." He gave a wry smile before attempting to saunter back to camp, only for Lucina to block his way.

"Khan Basilio, you can't!"

"I ain't the Khan anymore, princess."

"In my timeline, you die going on this mission!"

"…Tell me I get to at least look at that beast."

"Yes… Walhart strikes you down himself…"

"Ha ha! Good, at least I die with honour!" He took another step, making Lucina flinch.

"But you can't! If you die, then… then…!"

"Lass, I've been ready to die ever since I joined the fight over here. Just because you say it's going to happen doesn't mean that I'm gonna stop. Now, if you'll excuse me." He pushed the future princess aside, surprise evident on the girl's face.

"But— "

"Don't even try." Flavia put a hand on her shoulder. "He's too much of a stubborn baby to listen to anyone else. I'll keep him alive." She smiled at the blue-haired princess before following her fellow Khan.

"Come on, Lucina; I don't think we can stop them." Marc walked up next to her. "Let's just do the best we can to make sure they survive."

"I-… You're right, as usual." Lucina smiled at the blonde boy. "What do you suggest?"

"I've got a few ideas." The duo followed in the two Khans' wake, constantly conversing about how they might change the future. I turned to Robin, smiling.

"I was totally right."

"Just… please be gentle when you do it."

"Not sure how 'gentle' extortion can be, but I'll try my best. I always do."

"I know."

"What in the world are you two talking about?" Chrom's gaze was flitting between us, totally lost.

"Don't worry about it," I sighed, wondering how the _married_ Exalt could still be this oblivious. Robin was supressing a giggle, hand over her mouth. "Where're we headed next, then?"

"The Divine Dragon grounds." He seemed to have recovered from his thick-headedness, expression becoming stern. "We'll need the Voice's help to take on Yen'fay."

"Cool; I'm guessing it isn't too far from here, then?"

"It's actually almost the exact middle point between here and where intelligence has told us Yen'fay is currently stationed." Robin pulled a map from seemingly nowhere, pointing to a small group of mountain ranges near the coast of the continent. "We'll have to pass through the Wyvern Valley before we can get to the Grounds, but other than that it should be easy going."

"Wyvern Valley?" I leaned my head on her shoulder, staring at the map. "Is it actually a valley filled with wyverns?"

"As a matter of fact, it is."

"Oh, that's cool…" I felt her chuckle through my chin. "Can we get one?"

"Zack, I don't think we have room for a wyvern in our tent."

"It could hang out with Minerva."

"I also don't want to have to take care of a gigantic flying lizard."

"It'd be exciting."

"I think things are plenty exciting with a war going on."

"I… I suppose you have a point…"

"I want a dragon too!" Morgan latched herself onto the purple-haired woman's other arm, staring up at her with pleading eyes. I grinned, silently mouthing 'thank you' to the young girl, earning myself a wink.

"See? Even your daughter from the future wants a wyvern!"

"We'll talk about this later." She folded up the map, stuffing it back in her coat. "For now, we have to move camp."

"I've got the tents!" The sandy blonde let go, dashing off to help with the cleanup.

"Ever enthusiastic, that one." I took my wife's hand, beginning to lead her after our disappearing daughter.

"Mmm. I can't imagine where she gets it from." She leaned her head on me. "Neither of us are exactly a bundle of energy."

"Well, you may not be, but I'm bursting at the seams with enthusiasm." I almost made myself chuckle with how deflated my tone was while saying it.

"Uh-huh."

"I am! …When the need calls for it…"

"Good thing it's not needed right now…"

"Yeah; she's got enough energy for you, me, Chrom, Sumia, Frederick, Vaike, Miriel, Kellam, _and_ Lucina; and that's just on a calm day."

"Mm-hmm…" We continued to walk in comfortable silence, our footfalls crunching on the foliage beneath our feet the only thing to break it. Just then, everything felt like it would work out. For the most part.

 **A/N: Hey guys, it's been a while! I'm sorry I haven't updated this in so long, but things have been busy and I was really lacking inspiration for this chapter (not a lot happens at Fort Steiger); I'm honestly still not entirely pleased with it. But, I figured you guys deserved** ** _something_** **from me, so here you are! And, again, it might be quite a while between this update and the next one, and I apologize in advance. With all that said, if you have any questions, concerns, comments, or criticisms, feel free to leave a review or PM me. Until the next chapter!**


	40. Chapter 40

Opportunity seemed to be hard-pressed to present itself on our way to the Wyvern Valley. Marc was always either doing a task that Chrom requested he be uninterrupted for, or he was surrounded by the other children. It was quite the predicament… until the night before we made it to the Valley. I was wandering around camp, feeling a little lonely as Robin had some tactics to go over for the Divine Dragon Grounds and she had enlisted Morgan to help her. Everyone else was busy tending to everything else around camp, thus leaving me to explore the surrounding area alone. That excursion, however, led me to the one boy I had been wanting to talk to for quite some time. He was sitting under a tree, eyes glazed over in thought. When I was near enough, I cleared my throat, making him jump. As soon as he saw that it was me, his brow furrowed and he got up to leave.

"Marc, wait!" He shot me an angry glare.

"What?" he growled.

"I wanted to talk."

"And I don't; not with you."

"You might change your tune after you hear what I have to say." His glare deepened.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I have an… incriminating fact that you probably wouldn't want Chrom knowing." His eyes widened. "Right?"

"…How did you find out?"

"C'mon, it's pretty obvious. Well, except to Chrom; he's about the densest person I've ever met."

"What do you want?"

"Oh, that's easy. For not letting your, ahem, 'secret' relationship with Lucina slip, I want you to give me a chance." A thought hit me. "And, I've noticed that you haven't really been talking to your alternate self/sister/my daughter, so you'll have to give her a chance too."

"… The second one, I can do. The first one, however…" I saw the subtle shift of his hand from resting on his coat to gripping the edge of it; a move that Robin had made countless times when anticipating a fight. "What's stopping me from keeping you permanently quiet?"

"Well, number one would be basic human decency." His hand moved just that little bit more, revealing the edge of the tome stuffed in his inside pocket. "But, seeing as that might not entirely convince you, then the thought that your mother would be distraught over my passing might satiate your… violent desires." The coat closed, but the hand remained where it was. "Look, I'm not saying that you have to like me; sometimes I don't really like me either, you just have to get to know me before you judge me. I'm not the guy that left Robin, not really." He made several angry grumbles before tiredly slumping, hand hanging limp at his side.

"Fine. I accept." Marc's gaze was still trained on me in hatred, but it felt more… willing. "So how're we going to do this?"

"Uhm… baby steps, I suppose. Next battle, you and me, side-by-side. Sound good?"

"I wouldn't say 'good'; more like 'tolerable'. Now, if you don't mind, _step-dad_ ," the title he just gave me wasn't just dripping with venom, it was practically made of it, "I have some reading to finish."

"Right. I'll, uh, leave you to it." I turned on my heel and went back to camp, only allowing myself to sigh in relief when I reached the fire that was still burning in the middle of our temporary home. "Eugh, I feel gross…"

"What troubles you, my friend?" I jumped, not having realized that Libra was sitting at said campfire, warming his hands on the flickering energy.

"Oh, hey, Libra. It's your son, actually."

"Ah; you two are still at each others' throats?"

"Welp," I plopped down next to him, sitting cross-legged, "I was never at his throat. But you're half right, yes."

"Only half?"

"He still resents me despite the numerous times I've said that it's never _been_ me, but I think he's finally going to give me a chance." The priest chuckled. "What?"

"It seems Naga is finally listening to me." His soft smile had me slightly concerned. "I have been praying for Marc to fit in with the other Shepherds… all of them. If he is now giving you a chance, then my prayers have been answered."

"Wow. I didn't know him getting along with everyone meant so much to you."

"Of course it does; the Shepherds are my family, and I wish for all of my family to work in harmony."

"You two are getting along well, then?"

"It has taken some… getting used to, to be sure, but I do believe that we may actually be starting to act like father and son. Having Robin as his mother certainly is a very strange thing, especially since she is taken by you, but I think it's working."

"Good; I'd hate for you two to become estranged just because I exist."

"As would I."

"Y'know, I admire you, Libra." The face he made at that almost made me burst into laughter.

"Wh-What?"

"I admire you. You're always doing whatever you can to help anyone and everyone, and you seem so calm in so many different situations; I wish I could be more like that. I mean, you don't look all too calm now, but you're usually pretty collected."

"I… Thank you; that is high praise, coming from you."

"Coming from _me_?"

"Of course. You are a traveller from another world, someone who decided to help people that weren't even close to being his own. That, and you are the spouse of the best tactician in many years and father to an aspiring tactician that promises to be as skilled as her mother."

"Wow, that's… I never really thought of it that way. Thank you, Libra."

"I only state the truth."

"Okay, now you're just trying to butter me up."

"No, I don't believe I am," he chuckled.

"Anyway," I stood back up with an intentional grunt of effort, "we've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow; time for bed."

"I believe I will stay out here a little while longer; somebody needs to make sure Marc doesn't injure himself, after all."

"Right. Well, goodnight, Libra."

"Sleep well." I gave a parting wave and moved off to my tent, letting out a yawn as I did so. Upon entering, I was met with a familiar sight: Robin sat at her desk, head planted firmly in a book and snoring lightly. I would have attempted to move her to the bed, but she was sat in such a way that I couldn't move her without waking her up. Instead, I gently shook her shoulder.

* * *

"Sorry, sleepyhead; time to get up." Her eyes slowly fluttered open, brown irises gazing at me through the muddy veil of sleep.

"It's still night," she croaked.

"I know, but you're at the desk again; can't have you all sore in the morning." She made a grunt of protest, but began getting up nonetheless. I caught her by the hand as the Grandmaster stumbled to her feet, giving me a tired, thankful smile. "Wow, you're exhausted; no wonder you fell asleep at the desk."

"Morgan didn't stop asking me questions, and I didn't have the heart to say 'no'… That, and I'm worried about Basilio."

"Didn't you send him a letter today?"

"Doesn't mean I'm not worried…" She tiredly slumped against me and started guiding us towards the bed. "Sleep now; talk later."

"Can do," I chuckled. I would say we slowly and comfortably got into bed, but that would be a lie. What actually happened was Robin flopping down unceremoniously and bringing me with her, the two of us sprawled and entangled in an awkward yet oddly comfortable position. I would have said something against it, but my wife was already fast asleep, her light snoring having returned. I sighed and resigned myself to the position for the night.

The next day, we packed up and ventured out, the Wyvern Valley in our sights. Needless to say, when we actually got there around an hour after disassembling camp, it was breathtaking; in more than one sense of the word. The entrance to the Valley was a narrow suspension bridge that drifted off into a thick fog, just beyond which the jagged tops of mountains could be seen. I glanced over the edge of the cliff that bordered the Valley, accidentally knocking a pebble into the foggy abyss. I gulped.

"A-And you're sure this is where we need to go?"

"Yes, I am certain." Without any hint of hesitation whatsoever, Tiki stepped onto the bridge. "Come; we must traverse through here quickly." The manakete gave a nonchalant yawn as she disappeared into the fog. I turned back to the rest of the Shepherds, most of whom were staring after her in incredulity.

"We're sure she's sane, right?"

"Aye," Say'ri was the first to step forward, "she is. If we ever wish to win against Walhart, we must follow her onward." And she did just that, going after the Voice through the thick fog. A slight hesitation later and everyone else followed suit, some, including myself, more warily than others. Morgan happily walked along the wooden bridge in front of me while Robin was at my back, lightly putting her hand on it. I chuckled to myself about halfway into the fog, looking anywhere but down.

"What?"

"Nothing, just thinking."

"What about?"

"The last time I went over a suspension bridge. It was at this place called Capilano; it had a few tourist trap-type places and everything. I still felt really uneasy even though it was a very, very reliable bridge that millions of people had gone over time and time again." Robin stayed silent, probably sensing that there was something more. She was right. "Why me?"

"Pardon?"

"Why'd you choose me? I'm definitely not the most reliable in combat, despite the numerous times I try to be funny I'm not, you probably could've had Chrom if you tried for him; it just perplexes me because I don't think I would've chosen me for a partner."

"Not this again…"

"Sorry, don't mind me."

"Zack, I have told you time and time again why I married you and you alone. You're smart, sweet, thoughtful, caring… but most of all, I fell in love with you and not someone else. I would never give you up." I gained a stupid grin, unable to help myself.

"Would you ever let me down?"

"No…?"

"You're never going to run around and desert me."

"This is obviously a joke that I don't get."

"Never gonna tell a lie, never gonna say goodbye…" She gave me a light shove from behind.

"Stop and focus." The light laugh in her voice didn't escape my notice. "Keep that up, and I'll start wondering why I _did_ marry you." I would have made another remark, but the landscape of the Valley chose that moment to escape from the fog. My jaw dropped in awe at the sight. It was almost like being inside a bowl made of mountains, each peak seemingly scraping the few clouds in the sky. The Valley itself was a series of large pillars of rock, half of them covered in moss, that jutted up from the still-foggy abyss below. Wooden bridges of varying states of repair connected every single one to another, usually at a dangerously steep angle. But that wasn't what had my attention. No, what had made my eyes go wide with wonder was the several thousand wyverns flying around the area. Their scales glinted in the sunlight, some of them resting on the mountainsides while others roamed the skies. Play fights were happening between around half of the creatures as they gladly explored their home.

"Wow…"

"This is amazing!" Morgan did a little hop, which shook the whole bridge. "I'm gonna go ahead, 'kay?" Before either of us could answer, she had run off onto the first large piece of rock, head whipping around to look at everything she could.

"And there she goes."

"If she wasn't doing that, I know you would be." I gave Robin a sheepish smile.

"Help us!" A yell from the other side of multiple chasms grabbed our attention, every Shepherd turning towards the noise. Far in the distance, a group of wyvern clad in armour and with ruffian riders were swarming around a small village that managed to somehow sustain itself on one of the rock pillars. One of the villagers had managed to break free, and was running towards us, a pot resting protectively on his head. "You have to stop them!"

"We're on it. Shepherds, to arms!" Chrom lifted Falchion high from his place in the front of the group, earning war cries from all of us. I immediately sidled up to Marc, giving him my best grin and wink under the circumstances, which he scoffed at. I didn't have much time to do anything about it, as the bandits had heard our cry and their leader was flying forward.

"Well, looky 'ere, boys! We got ourselves some 'eros! Let's knock 'em down a peg!" The group practically cackled as they moved towards us, stolen wyvern wingbeats echoing around the valley.

"Robin, plan?" Chrom looked to our valiant tactician, whose eyes were darting around the playing field, brilliant mind working to come up with a viable strategy.

"Fliers need to go where the rest of us can't and get around the back to encircle them; everyone else will split into three, following the paths up the edges of the valley. Protect the villagers along the way, and try not to hurt the wyverns."

"Right. Everyone find your battle partners and move out!" The blue-haired leader hopped on the back of his wife's Pegasus, many of the others doing something similar. I put an arm around Marc, which he instantly shrugged off. _Okay, we're getting better; just yesterday he probably would've socked me._

"Marc, looks like you and I are headed for the leader." He scoffed.

"Oh yeah? And why's that?"

"Well, first of all, we're a speedy little pair. We can easily weave between the enemy lines without much hassle because of how relatively unknown we are. Second, everyone else," I gestured to the rest of the battlefield, where the other Shepherds were fighting off the bandits, "has already taken a path, and not many have gone for the head of the snake. And third, a tough enemy will help us bond better." The blond raised an eyebrow at me. "What? It will."

"Fine. Let's go." And just like that, Marc dove into the battle, making as much of a b-line as the terrain and enemies would allow towards their leader. I inwardly sighed, shaking my head, and followed after, occasionally having to jump out of the way of a wyvern's claws or fire. We ducked and dodged our way through the slowly escalating battle, freeing a few of the enslaved wyverns on the way, along with a small signal towards Robin as we passed her. She seemed to understand my weird gestures, nodding and, since she managed to throw off one of her nearby riders with a quick Thunder, blowing a kiss. I winked, returning the sentiment, and earning a gagging sound from Marc, only fuelling my grin. After that little encounter, the rest of our battle-necessary run went by relatively uneventfully, the terrible insults thrown our way the only real highlights.

"Why 'avent you stopped them yet?!" My gaze locked onto the leader, who seemed to be starting to panic. He was sat atop a lone pillar next to the village, overseeing the entire battle and yelling commands to his men. "Yew imbeciles can't do nothin' right!"

"Their leader's not much better." _Dude! The heck are you doing?! Antagonizing the_ main _bad guy has never been your thing!_ Marc seemed to be having similar thoughts, as his head swiveled to look at me, glaring with both surprise and the usual anger. The leader practically jumped in his saddle, staring the two of us down.

"Oh yeah? And who're you ter say that?"

"I'm a few things; a guy that knows proper grammar and sentence structure being the most relevant." He raised an eyebrow.

"You what?"

"I know how to talk and write properly, unlike you." _What is with the aggression?! I don't know, just roll with it!_ "Probably a bit more maneuverable in a fight, too." That appeared to be more his speed, as he gave the wyvern's side a hard kick, the beast giving a few wingbeats to rise into the air. With another few unnecessarily harsh kicks, he guided the wyvern to land just in front of us.

"Is that right?"

"Yep. I can prove it."

"Ho-ho yeah?"

"Yeah; let's go, you and me. No weapons, no wyverns; just a good old fistfight." Marc grabbed me by the arm, dragging our heads close together.

"What in Naga's name are you doing?!" he whispered.

"Making the fight easier," I whispered back.

"Easier?!"

"You're a tactician, right? Well, what has better odds of succeeding: us versus a man on a wyvern that we aren't allowed to hit, or me against him in a relatively fair fight."

"But what if he cheats?"

"Then I'll have both you and the wyvern to back me up." The time-travelling boy raised an eyebrow in question. "By the way, while I'm fighting him, you get all that stuff off the wyvern and let it go free." He sighed, nodding. "I thought you wanted me dead."

"No, I want you away from my mother and me."

"Ah. Glad to clear that up."

"You two ladies done bickerin'?" The man had dismounted his stolen mount, making sure it stayed in place by basically tying it to the rocks. He threw his axe down, imbedding its head in the dirt. "'Cause I think we got ourselves a fight."

"Erm… right." I stepped away from Marc, going into my usual stance. The leader grinned, falling back into a very, very basic fighting stance. My chances skyrocketed. _Hey! Think, you dolt; never underestimate an opponent._ "Let's do this." He instantly charged for me, swinging wide but fast. I barely leaned back in time, feeling the wind of his punch as it sailed past my face. I retaliated with a swift punch to his gut, which the burly man just shrugged off while kneeing me in the chest. I felt the air leave my lungs, but I was thankfully used to that kind of punishment, what with Lon'qu usually being my sparring partner. I slid back, just out of harm's reach, eyeing my new opponent carefully. He had just proven himself a more capable fighter than his fighting stance had displayed, lending credence to the self-scolding that had happened seconds ago. "Not bad; I'd expected total incompetence, but it turns out you're at least somewhat competent."

"Eh?"

"You're not as much of an idiot as I thought."

"Wouldja stop insultin' me?!"

"I'm trying, but my mouth just won't stop!"

"Then I'll make it!" He attempted another swing, this one more of an altered uppercut. I brought a hand down to block it, following up with a kick to his hip. A slight moment of recoil from him allowed me to swing up with my other leg and hit him in the shoulder, earning a hiss of pain. I slid just out of reach, watching as the man's eyes glared at me with an intensity that I had only known from Marc. He then lunged, foot first, attempting to throw me off-balance. Little did he know, balance and defense were pretty much my thing. I blocked the kick easily, only being pushed back a little, and batted away the punches he threw following that. In a move that I probably should have seen coming, he flung his head forward, our skulls colliding in a brief moment of absolute nausea. I stumbled back from that one, my vision barely recovering in time to see a fist flying towards my face. Then, in one of the most beautiful Deus Ex Machina moments that I had ever witnessed, a talon grabbed onto the back of the man's shirt, dragging him up and back. A vicious roar rang through my ears as the previously enslaved wyvern took the bandit leader high into the sky, looking down on him with disdain. They were already so high up that it was impossible to discern his cries of distress, though the general idea came across due to all his frantic flailing.

"You're lucky."

"Huh?" I turned away from the bickering pair in flight to face Marc, who still had a scowl, but it was less intense than ever before.

"You're lucky. If I hadn't freed that wyvern in time, you would have lost the fight."

"Maybe. I've still got some tricks you haven't seen." Another shrill roar pierced the area, along with more panicked screams. I looked up to the wyvern again, who was mercilessly toying with the bandit leader, constantly letting him go into free fall then catching him not too long later, but each drop was getting just that little bit longer. "Um… Excuse me, Ms. Wyvern?" It gave a snort, tilting its head at me. "Would you mind not killing him? I know you've got a bit of bad blood with these guys, but killing him won't fix that. Just knock him out and we'll take care of him." After a few very tense seconds, the wyvern lowered itself to the ground, hitting the bandit leader on the head with her tail to knock him out cold. She then tossed the unconscious man at our feet, giving a low grunt before taking to the skies again. I bent down and picked the man up by the back of his shirt, putting one of his limp arms around my shoulder, and turning to Marc for help. It didn't seem like I was going to get any anytime soon. He had a completely dumbfounded look on his face, almost blankly staring at me. "Little help?"

"You just… how did you know that that wyvern would know what you were saying?"

"A few reasons. Would you mind helping me carry this guy? We can talk on the way back."

"But the battle—"

"It's over. If the others haven't finished the fight by now, then the sight of these bandits' defeated leader will probably prompt them to leave. Now; help?" Marc moved to the bandit's other arm, lifting it onto his shoulder and taking away half my burden.

"Okay, now talk."

"Well," I took a step forward, starting our walk back, "first and foremost, animals are generally more in tune with other creatures than us humans. They tend to understand meaning behind words and gestures better than some people. Second, Minerva and I have had a few conversations. They've been pretty one-sided, but I know that she knows what I'm talking about; especially when Cherche translates. Third, with the way it was toying with the guy, I could tell that it didn't actually want to kill him. Just… teach him a lesson."

"Hmph." Something akin to respect flashed in Marc's eyes before returning to the callous sheen that I was used to. I smiled to myself, silently shaking my head at him.

"Hey," a low, gruff voice said from above, making us tilt our heads. A wyvern, one that somehow looked oddly familiar despite most of them looking nearly identical, was descending, the man on the back only barely visible. He was covered in entirely black armour, had a black mask covering his face, and brown hair that stuck out behind his head as if it were permanently plastered to look like that. "Marc."

"Gerome! I should've known you'd be here." The masked man's wyvern touched down, landing with a soft thud just in front of us. It was difficult to tell through the mask, but he was clearly glancing between both myself and the man hanging on my shoulder.

"Who's this?"

"Just some bandit leader."

"The other one."

"Not my father." Those three words told me that we were nowhere near reconciliation.

"Oh. I see." His grip on his axe tightened. "Do you need any help?"

"Nah, we're—"

"Please." Marc took the unconscious man over to the Wyvern Rider, placing him on the creature's back. Then, as if I wasn't even there, they took off back towards the others, leaving me by myself. I sighed, taking off my hat and running a hand through my hair.

"Still need a lot of work, huh…?"

"I'd say so." A hand clapped down on my shoulder, letting me know exactly who had just spoken; not that his voice hadn't.

"Not really helping, Chrom."

"As one father to another: nothing ever really helps." I gave him my best glare. He laughed. "Come on; we still have a long journey ahead of us."

"Aren't we resting here for the night?"

"Well, we'll have to ask our tactician, won't we?"

"I thought you were supposed to be the leader."

"And what kind of leader wouldn't let his subjects voice their opinions?"

"I… I guess you have a point," I sighed. The blue-haired man simply laughed again, placing his arm across my shoulders and pulling me over to the others, where Gerome was being hounded by just about everyone. Cherche, in particular, seemed very interested in the masked, no doubt future, boy. Before we could even get within hearing range, one of the villagers ran in front of us, bowing profusely.

"Thank you! Thank you so much! You've saved our village!"

"It's no trouble; we Shepherds were only doing our job." Chrom tried to wave the man off, clearly embarrassed despite this happening millions of times before. "Though, are you sure nobody was hurt? We have skilled staff-wielders on hand that would be more than happy to help."

"Thank you, Lord Chrom, but nobody was seriously hurt. They were just a bunch of bullies, only really after the wyverns. But, uh… speaking of them, we may actually need a bit of healing."

"Of course. Lissa! Maribelle! Brady!" Four figures broke off from the other Shepherds, racing over to us. The three called immediately focussed on Chrom, while the one not clung to me.

"Morgan?"

"Hi, Dad!"

"Why'd you come with them? Not that I'm not glad to see you."

"I heard something about wyverns." I chuckled, ruffling her hair.

"Good; you have learned much, young grasshopper." She giggled, giving me a grin.

"You two! Come on!" Giving my future daughter another pat on the head, we followed after Chrom, Lissa, Maribelle, Brady, and the villager towards whatever medical travesty had happened. What we found wasn't pretty. Sitting half-impaled on a rock at the edge of the village was a wyvern, its breathing shallow and ground beneath it soaked with blood. I covered Morgan's eyes while trying not to gag myself when we saw it, envying the resolve our healers had to that sort of thing. Lissa was first to approach, gently holding her hand out towards the injured beast. It tried to growl at her, but seemed to be so exhausted that it almost instantly gave up the effort, letting its head rest on the small patch of grass.

"H-Hey there," she said as cautiously as she could, placing her hand on its snout, "we're gonna help you, okay?" The wyvern gave a snort, but made no action to stop the Sage. Lissa motioned for the others, and they all moved to help, Morgan, Chrom, and I still hanging back.

"Dad? I can't see."

"I-I know."

"But I want to!"

"No; no, you don't."

"But—"

"Morgan." Any complaints from her ceased, earning a raised eyebrow from Chrom.

"She's seen worse, you know." I instantly glared at him, making the Exalt swivel his gaze back to the injured almost-dragon. "Note to self: fearsome when being a father," he uttered under his breath, probably hoping I didn't hear. I was about to retort when Maribelle stepped between us, shutting down our conversation with a look.

"There is… bad news, I'm afraid. Most of this wyvern's vital organs have been either punctured or bruised, creating far too much internal bleeding for us to fix. She won't survive."

"What?! But wyverns are supposed to be awesome and, like, completely unbreakable! Minerva's super tough, so I know that's right!" Morgan was flailing her arms around, but still keeping her eyes behind my hand… somehow.

"Unfortunately, dear, that is not the case. Wyverns, if my time treating Minerva has taught me anything, have certain soft spots between their scales, and are extremely susceptible to things like arrows. This infernal rock has several jagged points on it that simply tore the scales off as she landed on it, easily going through her."

"That… that's not good." The villager took a step forward, his face pale but stern. "She… she was one of the last to lay eggs this year. They're going to hatch any day now."

"What can we do to help?" The man looked to Chrom, expression turning unsure.

"Well… I-I don't know. I'd have to look at the nest to figure that out."

"We'll come with you. Morgan and I. Right now. C'mon, let's go!" Ignoring his bewildered expression, I ushered him forward with the hand that wasn't clasped over Morgan's eyes. He shrugged, soon complying and leading the way to the nest. At a safe enough distance, I removed the hand, though I still kept her head from looking in the broken wyvern's direction, getting a small scowl and a bit of mumbling from her.

"Thankfully, its nest isn't far from the village."

"That's good; sounds like if there're enough willing people in your village, you should all be able to take care of the eggs."

"Maybe. Wyvern offspring are very temperamental, often lashing out at anything that isn't their imprinted parent. Not everybody is willing to take care of something like that."

"Ah. Okay."

"We'll find out what can be done soon; we're at the nest." In front of us was not what I expected. Instead of some kind of bird's nest made of sticks, leaves, and other comfortable materials resting in a cave on an escalated ledge, it was a circle of spiked rocks sticking outward, a deep hole in the center where the eggs no doubt lay on an escalated ledge.

"Woah," myself and Morgan said simultaneously.

"I'll go check the nest; I wouldn't want our village's saviours enduring unnecessary harm." The man turned and expertly weaved his way through the rocky outcropping and towards the hole's edge. When he reached it, he looked down, gasped, and proceeded to reach into the nest. Morgan and I looked at each other, each raising an eyebrow, and back towards the man. He stood up with his back towards us, and started carefully backing his way out of the rocky nest.

"What's going on?" A feminine hand with a familiar ring on its finger landed on Morgan's head, prompting her to look up at her mother.

"Dunno. Something about a wyvern." Robin looked to me for answers, but she only received a shrug.

"Madam Tactician!" The man had returned to us, eyes now wide with shock. More importantly, however, was what was cradled in his arms. He was holding onto a large, scale-covered black-and-blue egg with a few bony spikes poking out. "I'm sorry, but we have to hurry! This egg is hatching!" True to his word, the shell around the spikes was starting to crack, albeit at a very slow pace. "We should take it to my village before it imprints one of us."

"Now hold on." All three pairs of eyes turned to me, and I could feel a grin coming on. "Would that be so bad?"

"Zack…" I heard the warning in my wife's tone, immediately switching tactics.

"Please? Chrom did say we would do all we could to help, and I'm sure that relieving the village of a baby wyvern would be of tremendous help." I looked to the man for confirmation, getting a shaky nod in response. "On top of that," I sidled closer to her, practically whispering in her ear, mostly so our future daughter didn't hear, but partly so the villager didn't get totally lost by our crazy situation, "it'll help us get ready for when the third Morgan comes around."

"I don't know how much I want a third one yet," she replied, lightly blushing.

"That's why I said 'practice'."

"Hey, can I hold it?" Morgan, unbeknownst to us, had gone up and started poking at the egg. The man holding it raised an eyebrow, but let her take it nonetheless. It shook in her grip, cracking even more. She whipped around to face us, eyes sparkling. "Mom, Dad, look! Can we keep it? Pleeeeaaassseee?"

"Please?" I moved beside Morgan, imitating her grin. Robin sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"And I'm married to one of them…" Another crack came from the egg, and a bit of shell went flying off, revealing a talon. It seemed to startle the tactician, making her warily look between the two of us. Finally, she gave a resigned sigh and slumped her shoulders. "Okay. You win. We can keep the orphaned wyvern."

"Yes!" I swung back over to her, giving her a peck on the cheek. "You're the best."

"I know."

"Thank you, Madam Robin." The villager bowed, making my wife feel quite awkward, if her fidgeting gaze was anything to go by. "Having one less wyvern to take care of will no doubt relieve stress on my home. Speaking of, I have to go back to make sure everyone's okay. It was incredible to meet you, and thank you, again, for saving our homes."

"Anytime." I waved to him as he ran back towards his village. An insanely loud snap echoed through the area, along with chunks of hard shell flying through the air, drawing my attention back to what was once an egg in Morgan's hands. Standing on the remains of an eggshell in my shocked future daughter's palms was what looked somewhat like a baby komodo dragon, though its scales were sharper, it was a little bit bigger, and its front legs were replaced with leathery wings. Its gaze, along with its head, shifted between the three of us, something sparking in its slit-pupiled eyes when its vision first landed on one of us. It then gave a shrill little cry that, if my time with Minerva had taught me anything, seemed to be one of happiness. "I don't think there's any going back on that now," I commented as the little lizard started climbing on a giggling Morgan, "it's imprinted us."

"Wonderful."

"Hey Mom, Dad; what're we naming it?"

"Can I?"

"I think our daughter should decide the name."

"Yeah… yeah, you're probably right." I scratched the back of my head, getting a chuckle from Robin, who wrapped an arm around my waist. "After all, I'm not the best at naming stuff. She's proof of that."

"Huh?" Morgan, much to the dismay of the baby wyvern that had found a nice resting place on her hair, tilted her head at me. "What do you mean?"

"Since both you and Marc have the same name, it stands to reason that Robin is the one who named you, as she's the only constant parent between you two."

"Hm… Oh yeah!"

"So, dear, what are you going to name… him, I'm assuming?" Once again, Robin looked to me, and I shrugged.

"Uh… Oh! I've got it!" She took the wyvern off her head, holding it out and looking it right in its yellow eyes. "Let's call you Ripjaw!" I internally cheered at her unintentional reference, but I outwardly sweatdropped.

"That's an… interesting name." Robin turned to me, hope in her eyes. "What was your name for him going to be?"

"It's not much better. I kinda wanted to name him Spit Fyre."

"Ah."

"See? Not great. Ripjaw, though…" Morgan was now playing with the new-hatched, giggling furiously. "I think the name's set, no matter how you feel. But, if it makes you feel better, you could always just call him 'Rip'." Robin sighed.

"I… guess it'll do."

"Well, with that settled… Morgan?" She stopped her playing to look at me. "Why don't you take Rip to Cherche? I'm sure the little guy's hungry, and I don't think either of us really know what to feed him."

"Right!" With a little salute, the sandy blonde took her new pet and ran back to the others, laughs echoing around the Valley. Beside me, Robin chuckled, interlacing her left hand with mine.

"And another one joins the family."

"At least it isn't another awkward relative from the future."

"I suppose. Oh, speaking of which, that boy Gerome is one of the future children; apparently, he's Cherche's child. And his wyvern is an older Minerva."

"Really? Good for her."

"Mm." I felt a gentle pull, which I instantly followed, the two of us headed back towards the other Shepherds. "Come on; we have a lot to take care of before we get to the Divine Dragon Grounds."

"I am at your beck and call." She playfully slapped my shoulder.

"For the love of Naga, please don't turn into Frederick."

"No promises," I grinned. After another playful hit, we continued walking forward, wherever it took us.

 **A/N: Hey all! This one's been a long time coming, huh? I'm really, really sorry about the lack of updates, but inspiration's starting to be hard to come by for this story. I might have to replay Awakening soon (can you believe I've written most of this story without playing it to remember plot aspects?), but that might be a long time coming, just like the next chapter. I want these to be readable, entertaining things for you guys, and I just feel like my quality of writing's been slipping. Giving myself no set update date kind of helps with that, as I get more time to come up with scenes. Hang on, why am I justifying this? Almost about every review I've gotten has said that there's 'no need to worry'! Ah well, I guess it's just who I am. Oh, and kudos to anyone who understands where the nickname I came up with is from; it just seemed so fitting.**

 **Anyway, as always, be sure to review or PM with any questions, concerns, comments, or criticisms. Until the next chapter (whenever that may be)!**


	41. Chapter 41

The next two days were a hassle. Because he was a baby wyvern, Ripjaw spent most of his time running around, eating, sticking as close to myself and Robin as possible, playing with Nowi, and just being a general lovable nuisance. He seemed to be considering Morgan as more of a sister than a third parent, which was good, seeing as how she absolutely loved playing around with him. Surprisingly, though, other than the aforementioned things, he wasn't all that difficult to take care of. Cherche showed us what basic care the baby wyvern needed, which mostly consisted of grooming and feeding, and Minerva took care of him as often as she could. However, that doesn't mean we were allowed a lot of free time—no, far from it. So, we jumped at the first chance to actually sit down in the back of the caravan for once, doing whatever calming thing we could. Naturally, Robin and I were reading, her head on my shoulder, while Morgan snored away on the other one. I was wrenched off the page when the entire caravan shook under the entrance of a certain accented swordsman.

"How is nice family doing?"

"Shh, Gregor! Morgan's asleep." I indicated to the girl still snoring away. "Although, I'm guessing nothing short of a freight train's going to wake her up, if she's like her mother." I earned a playful slap from Robin for that.

"What is freight train?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing; just using it for loudness comparison. I guess its volume is comparable to a wyvern's roar."

"Ah, okay. Gregor understands. How is little wyvern, by the way? Gregor hears he is full of hands."

"Full of…? Oh! Yeah, Rip can be a bit of a handful sometimes, but I know two people who are very happy to have a baby wyvern around."

"One of them being you." The tactician was still fully engrossed in her book, but seemed to think it prudent to intrude. I sighed, ruffling her hair and getting an annoyed grunt.

"Yeah, and the other being our daughter. So Gregor, how're you? We never seem to talk that often."

"If Gregor is being honest? Jealous."

"Jealous?"

"Yes. All other Shepherds now have family, and while Gregor is happy that little ones run around camp, he is sad that none of them are his own."

"Oh. Oh, man. I'm sorry, Gregor; I had no idea this stuff was on your mind."

"It is okay. Is not your fault. You could not control little one from being."

"I guess not… but still, I feel bad. Is there anything we could do to alleviate your jealousy?"

"Ha! Many thanks, but Gregor needs to do on his own." I nodded. "Ah! Gregor was distracted from reason of talk. Shepherds are nearing sacred dragon field, and Robin is needed at front. Gregor was told that you and little one are allowed to come."

"Alright, sweet. Thanks. You get that, honey?"

"Sure did." She shut her book, giving the sellsword a smile before turning to look at the sleeping Morgan. "Should we leave her to sleep, or bring her along?"

"I'm pretty sure she'd be upset if we left her."

"Alright, then how do we wake her up?"

"Don't worry, I've got it. You head up and make sure Chrom doesn't send us to an early grave; we'll be there in a minute."

"Be quick; the battle might be over by the time she's up." Robin leaned in and gave me a peck on the cheek. "Come on, Gregor." With that, the two warriors hopped out of the cart and headed towards the front of the convoy, leaving me to wake up my daughter.

"Sorry, sweetheart, but it's time to wake up." I leaned as close to her ear as I could, and in the most panicked whisper I could muster: "Morgan, wake up! Your books are on fire!" She instantly sprung to life, tome in hand and fury in her eyes.

"Who did it?!" I couldn't help it. I laughed. Her gaze swiveled to me, fire dying down as she no doubt realized what had just happened. "Da-ad! I told you not to do that!"

"How else am I supposed to get you up when Rip's not around? Besides, we thought you might want to know."

"Know what?" _Mess with her. Please. The only reason parents have children is so they can mess with them._

"Well, I would tell you, but after that, I don't know…" I crossed my arms and feigned disappointment. Morgan took the bait, annoyed expression turning to one of pleading.

"I'm sorry! I'll make it up! I-I'll make dinner! Just pleeeeaaassseee tell me!"

"Hm… I don't know…"

"C'mon, Dad, I promise I'll be better! Please!"

"Okay, okay—we're at the Dragon Grounds."

"We are?!" I nodded. "Whoo!" She jumped into the air, fist pumping. "What are we waiting here for?! Let's go!" The sandy blonde practically vanished from the caravan, the wind left behind the only indication that she was ever there. I chuckled, getting up and more slowly following her to the front.

"Seriously, where does she get all that energy?" I gave greetings to the other Shepherds as I moved up to join my family, earning a slap on the back from Sully and a hi-five from Gaius, who was attempting to show Brady the difference between a sucker and a lollipop. When I made it up to them, my breath caught in my throat. Spread out before us was a grassy plain, the previous night's dew still attached to the green that swayed in the breeze glinted in the sunlight, giving the plain an almost ethereal glow. A waterfall that must have been as large as Niagara Falls was visible in the distance, nearly obscured by its own mist. Not too far in front of us—maybe about ten metres—was a ruin, its ancient stones covered in moss and etchings worn by time. It seemed to give off a feeling of intense pressure, as if someone or something extremely powerful was intently watching us, judging our every move. "Wow…"

"Indeed." Miriel came up beside me, adjusting her glasses. "This particular location will require plenty of research and investigation."

"Dunno how much a deity's going to like that, but I think you're welcome to try."

"You are free to inspect," Tiki's tired voice sounded out from my other side, "but please wait until after the ritual."

"Of course. I shall satiate my scientific desires by observing this ritual instead."

"Good…" The manakete gave a tired yawn, walking towards the ruins. I slithered my way over to Chrom, Robin, and Morgan, one of whom was excitedly spinning in circles.

"I know this place is super pretty, but knowing us something bad's bound to happen." Chrom gave me a wry smile.

"I agree; but that's why we have our world-renowned tactician."

"You know I don't like it when anyone calls me that," she sighed. "Only my husband is allowed. Even then…"

"Oh, you love our bouts of teasing. It's why we're married." She smiled, rolling her eyes.

"Shepherds?" Tiki was now stood in the middle of the ruins on a large stone floor, runes faintly etched into it. "I will be starting the ritual. Grima's servants are bound to notice, and I will be vulnerable while connecting with Naga, so I require your protection."

"That was the plan from the start, Tiki. Robin? A little more depth, if you would."

"Not much more needed, Chrom. We'll form a barricade around Tiki, around two Shepherds deep, and stave off anything that comes her way."

"Do we have enough units to do that?"

"Hm… that's actually a good question."

"If I may, Father?" Lucina stepped between the Exalt and the Grandmaster, smiling for once. "I believe I know where we can find reinforcements."

"Oh?" Lucina nodded in the ruins' direction, and sure enough, just beyond it, coming up over the hill were several silhouettes, each one looking either armoured or armed. One was around Nowi's height, though with a more refined gait, one was encompassed in heavy metal, nearly on par with the level of protection Kellam had, one had very clear pigtails from the look of it, and the last one had an enormous, pointed sorcerer's hat that looked extremely familiar. We all turned to the future princess, myself raising an eyebrow while the others gave off similar looks of questioning. "You know them?"

"Indeed." Without another word, Lucina moved towards the encroaching figures across the ruins, gaining speed as she got closer. The armoured one seemed to notice her first, gaining speed themselves before the two met in the middle, hunk of metal slamming into the blue-haired girl. The pigtailed one seemed to reluctantly join the hug, the one with the hat merely patted Lucina on the head, and the short one gripped onto the girl's leg. After a few moments the group hug broke apart, Lucina leading the four our way. "Father, I would like you to meet Nah, Kjelle, Severa, and Laurent."

"Let me guess: more children from the future." The Exalt's oldest daughter gave her father a sheepish grin. Chrom sighed, shaking his head and chuckling. "Of course. Well then, you should all find your parents and prepare for battle. Robin here will deliver battle plans as necessary." The new additions nodded, each one going off to mingle and find their bloodline. I had to stop one before he left, however.

"Hey, I know you, don't I?" Laurent, the one with the hat and glasses, briefly raised his eyebrows before giving off a small smile.

"I believe you do, yes."

"Yeah, it was that one really weird night, what, two years ago? I think I accidentally knocked one of your books to the ground, then you said something weirdly cryptic and walked off. I think I can guess what you were referring to, now."

"Perhaps we should discuss this later. There is a battle on the horizon, after all."

"Right. Give Miriel my congratulations when you see her." That seemed to catch him by surprise, his foot parked in midair. He looked to me incredulously. "What? Oh, come on, of course your mother's Miriel. You look and act a lot like her, you know."

"…Intriguing. We shall need to discuss each other's origins at a later date; after all, it is not often that someone once thought to be gone from this world exists, though I have a feeling that I know the reason."

"Intuition? Now that's a little more Kellam-like." Laurent chuckled, adjusting his spectacles. "Anyway, into position. Robin's not the most patient when it comes to battles." I gave him a pat on the shoulder as we parted ways, him towards his mother and me towards my wife. She was inspecting one of the broken pillars at the edge of the ruins, looking back and forth between it and a book in her hand. I wrapped an arm around the purple-haired beauty's waist as I got next to her, not even coming close to breaking her out of her trance. Instead of intentionally knocking her out of it, I joined in, comparing the various symbols and runes in the book to the markings on the ancient structure. Before I got too far in, though, what Tiki had only just said came back. "You know, we're only allowed to look after the ritual. Tiki's orders." She sighed and closed the book.

"Fine, fine. We need to get in formation anyway."

"Lemme guess: you stand behind me and fire off spells while I punch anyone/anything that comes near in the face?" She smiled, leaning over and kissing me on the cheek.

"Sometimes I wonder if we're the same person."

"Actually, there's a saying: great minds think alike."

"And fools seldom differ."

"Glad you know that one."

"Shepherds?" Tiki's soft voice echoed surprisingly loudly across the ruins, prompting all of us to look at the manakete, who was standing in the very center of it all. "If we could please begin."

"Of course. Sorry, Tiki."

"It is quite alright. Now, please, stand back." The entire surrounding group took a simultaneous backwards step as the Voice held out her arms and closed her eyes. A green aura slowly came to life around her, and once it reached its zenith, started slowly pulsating. After ten-ish seconds, the runes etched into every surface of the ruins burst to life with the same emerald light, sending all the built-up moss and plant matter exploding off in various directions. That intense pressure from before intensified, a small sense of nausea creeping up inside me. Tiki slowly levitated upward until her downward-pointed toes were three or four centimetres above the stone. Her eyes flashed open, entirely replaced by green energy. "Shepherds," her voice echoed in multiple voices through the ruins, all of them female. "Grima's forces approach."

"Everyone in position!" The entire Shepherd force scrambled into their rightful places at the Grandmaster's plan, said ringleader coming up and standing just behind me. As I looked out across the rolling fields of emerald grass, there was a small speck slowly growing on the horizon.

"Wow. They got here fast."

"Are you ready?" I adjusted my stance.

"Let's hope." A guttural roar came from the rapidly advancing specks, the lead one rapidly coming into view. This Risen looked a little… different. It still had the expressionless mask, glowing red eyes and worn armour, but it also seemed stronger. It was radiating some kind of dark aura, the smoke that usually only appeared from its breath or when it died outlining its body in spurts—the same went for its clearly undead wyvern steed. The sound of electricity whizzed by my head, along with a beam of intense light, then impacted the rider, nearly dislodging it from its mount. The axe was knocked from the beast's hand as the wyvern wavered, coming down to a level that was actually more suitable for me. I glanced back, giving the woman behind me a thankful grin before moving forward enough so that I could grab the Risen and pull him off the wyvern. The beast tumbled through the air, catching another spell from Robin and a few arrows from Virion before finally starting to dissolve into a dark mist. I turned my focus back to the thing I had thrown on the ground, watching as it jerked itself back to its feet in the most unnatural way possible, turned to face me, and charged. Its arm moved in a way that was wholly unsettling as it swung its axe at me, forcing me to deflect it with the side of my right gauntlet, slugging it in the shoulder with my left. My hit didn't deter it in the slightest, the monster's leg coming up to meet my chest with surprising force. I staggered back slightly, giving the Risen enough time to start another attack. Fortunately, I had enough presence of mind to sock it across the face before it got too far in, its swing wide and missing completely. What threw me off, though, was that that wasn't the end. Usually, a hit like that would be enough to at least send the thing careening to the ground—but not this time. Its head twisted to the side at an unnatural angle, yes, but it also retaliated with an elbow to my gut. I gasped as the wind left my body, bringing tears to my eyes. _These things have gotten stronger._ I couldn't quite recover in time, and it brought its arm around again for the finishing blow.

Then its head got enveloped by electricity. The lightning of a Mjolnir blast surged around its head, electrical arcs jumping in and out of whatever opening they could find before the thing's head exploded, sending small chunks that quickly turned to mist all over the surrounding area.

"Nobody messes with my husband. Not while I'm around."

"Have I ever mentioned how much I love you?"

"Yes… but I always like hearing it."

"Good. Me saying it again will be incentive to win the fight." I grinned at her, which, surprisingly, she smiled softly at.

"Deal." I reeled slightly. "Now, turn back around; we're going to win."

"Uh… uh, yeah." I shook myself, refocussing on the task at hand. Good thing I did, too, because a Risen took that moment to charge at me with a swing of its axe. "Here we go again!" A few better-timed blocks and strikes later, and that one was down without outside assistance.

The next few fights continued much the same, the Risen's usual tactic of fighting us one-on-one displaying its foolishness in full. Then they got smarter. The undead learned. The waves of Risen started coming to assault us in groups, starting off with two or three all converging on one of us at a time. I was quickly overwhelmed, though had plenty of help escaping from the rear ranks, as the monsters surged at us. After around three separate multi-beasted assaults, I was covered in scratches and bruises and was starting to feel it.

"Gods, how many more—graah!—are there?!"

"It depends," Robin fired off another spell—this time a little more explosive—into the oncoming throng of Risen. "Tiki said they would stop after the ritual."

"And how long is that going to be?"

"Good question. Can you hold them off by yourself for a minute?"

"Uh… I can try."

"Back in a second!" I heard retreating footsteps behind me, and I sighed.

"Right." I rolled my shoulders, hardening my gaze on the few Risen still nearby. The three closest charged at the same time. I grit my teeth as I deflected and dodged the sharp blades that glinted in the waning sunlight, their edges missing me by fractions of millimetres. I retaliated as best I could, giving hefty kicks and punches when the opportunities presented themselves, but it was more to keep them at bay than to outright stop them. "Why didn't I bring my sword?" I asked myself as another blade glanced off my gauntlets. "Would've made this so much easier." An axe handle caught me in the shoulder, causing me to jump back and suck it up, my entire right arm tingling from the blow. "And, of course, they hit the sensitive one…" I cracked the knuckles on my left hand, both deflecting a strike and retaliating with a punch to the face. It was followed by a kick to the ribs on that one and a side kick to the stomach on the one on its right. A third Risen jumped in, nearly taking my head off with a swipe that I leant back from. Before I could take another breath, the arm was pierced by an arrow, as was the head. I looked over to see Noire—Tharja and Henry's daughter, surprisingly enough—giving a bloodthirsty smile.

"FEEL THE FULL FORCE OF MY POWER, WORM!" My eyes widened.

"Geez, I thought you were timid!" Her demeanour instantly shifted back to what I thought it should've been.

"O-Oh, I'm sorry…"

"Don't apologise; fight!" The white-haired girl gave a little nod and returned to the task at hand, the strangely scary smile once more overtaking her face. "You think you know someone…"

"Good news!" Robin came back, immediately firing off another bolt of lightning into the undead soldiers. "Tiki said the ritual should be over soon, though she was a little upset that I asked."

"Understandable. And the bad news?"

"The Risen are going to attack tenfold."

"Ah." I looked past the writhing mass of monsters and, sure enough, there was another, even denser line of them looming over the horizon. "Not good."

"No, and I don't think your hands are going to cut it. Here." She pulled a sword out of her cloak—seriously, that thing is like a Bag of Holding—and tossed it to me. I deftly caught it in my right hand, very surprised that I didn't fumble it. "You might need it."

"Thanks." I took a second, then shot her a glance. "Wait, did you just make a pun?" A faint tint of red appeared on her face. "Ha! I have been an influence!"

"Just focus on not getting killed."

"Can do." Her command was in the nick of time, too, as a sword came sailing towards my face. I deflected it with my non-sword gauntlet, then struck back with a slash to the face. The Risen's jaw flung across the battlefield, striking another one in the back of the head and distracting it enough for Owain to stab it through the eye. Despite its loss of mouth, it retaliated, swinging at my torso with its dulled steel. I parried with my own sword, bringing the blade down on the top of its head. This time, it couldn't take it, and dissolved into mist. "Way better." A ball of fire rocketed through my vision, engulfing the nearest Risen and turning it to mist-like ash. I gave a terrified grin at the sheer number still left; the green, shimmering grass was gone, replaced with the swarming bodies of the undead legion trying to take our heads. I jumped back into the fray, swinging and slashing with controlled abandon. Scratches, lightly bleeding cuts, and bruises littered my body in a manner of minutes. Just as I was on the cusp of exhaustion, a dull pulse rocked the area. Every single Risen stopped moving, all of them rooted in place by a faint green aura. I, along with every other Shepherd, spun around to see Tiki's glow reach its zenith, the brilliant green light engulfing almost the entire altar. Small spheres of the same green light flitted about the pillars that weren't bathed in the glow, the entire display creating an almost uplifting pressure on my insides. Then, everything went quiet. There was no ragged Risen breath, no clanking of armour—not even my own breathing escaped the silence that surrounded everything. A dull thud broke it, and the green energy blasted outward, completely vaporizing the nearest Risen and sending the ones just behind them skidding along the ground. Those ones were quickly disposed of by the wave of intense magic as well, then the next, and the next, and so on through every single battalion of the undead monsters, clearing the fields in moments. Tiki herself slowly floated back down to the floor, her feet daintily touching the stone surface. When she alighted on the ruins, her eyes opened and she gave a soft smile. There was silence for a moment, then a cheer rose up from every Shepherd, myself included.

"My," the Voice giggled.

"Tiki, that was incredible!" Robin went up and pulled her into a brief hug, grinning the whole time. "This is the power that you wanted to get back?"

"Indeed. Though, I'm afraid that Divine Pulse can only be done here. However, my draconic powers have gotten more powerful."

"Awesome!" I thought it was time to come in, standing beside my wife. "That was a very nice last-minute save. I think I speak for everyone when I say thank you for that." Tiki's smile widened. Then, it faltered slightly.

"You are very welcome, but perhaps you should all tend to your wounds." I looked down to see my tattered, time-locked clothes that would repair themselves by the end of the day, and the cuts that I couldn't feel bleeding no doubt due to both adrenaline and the magic Tiki had just performed. My eyes then drifted to Robin, who had a few little burns and cuts, but was far less worse-for-wear than me.

"You've got a point, there. Come along, my dear; we've injuries to heal." I gave her a grin, which she gave a good-natured eye roll at, then wrapped her arm around mine.

"Very well, my knight."

"Knight?" We started making our way to the staff-wielders, the three usual ones having the additions of Cordelia and Sumia using their basic staff skills. They all looked exhausted, so we opted to be in the back of the queue. "I don't think I'm a knight. Maybe a high-level squire, but not a knight."

"I think the battle told a different story."

"I don't know that I'd want to know that one. After all, the story of a guy who fell into a different world, found the love of his life, got rid of his chance to go back, then became an official warrior in the local ruler's army is a pretty neat tale."

"I won't deny that that sounds like an interesting read."

"It's sure to be once this is over."

"Hey, you two!" Lissa, despite being clearly exhausted, greeted cheerily as we got to the healers. "Anything broken?"

"Um… I don't think so. We've got some cuts and stuff, but other than that, I think we're okay." The pigtailed girl sighed in relief, gesturing for us to sit down. We obliged, and in that moment I realized just how tired and sore I was.

"Thank Gods. You guys have no idea the scares I've been through today." She plopped down beside us, holding her staff high, the healing light drifting down. "Stahl nearly died of blood loss, Owain kept doing weird but kinda cool moves that almost didn't work, Maribelle freaked out more about Brady than she let on, and Vaike was just being himself."

"I'm sorry you had to endure that, Lissa." Robin put a hand on her arm, smiling warmly. The blonde tiredly returned it. "Thankfully, I think that might be the most enemies we'll have to face at once."

"Yeah; there's no way Walhart's army—what's left of it—is that big." Robin cleared her throat, giving me a glare. "What?"

"You can't just go promising things like that!"

"Am I not allowed to advocate hope?" She gave a grumble, but didn't say anything. There was a little giggle from the princess beside us.

"You guys are just too fun to watch."

"We were just talking about that. Sort of."

"Watch out!" A small, scaly thing suddenly appeared on Lissa's shoulder, then jumped at my face, completely blotting out my vision. I gave a little yelp and flew onto my back from the impact. Three different female laughs hit my ears as I lay prone, Rip's rough tongue running across my face repeatedly. I wanted to sigh, but couldn't for fear of wyvern spit falling into my mouth—or worse, the little guy's tongue actually scraping along the inside of it. I shuddered at the thought.

"Sorry, Dad," Morgan's still giggling voice apologized as she gently lifted the wyvern off my face. "He was really excited."

"I could tell." I sat back up, wiping off the slimy spit still stuck to my face. "It's just like having a small dog, geez." Morgan giggled again.

"He just missed you, Dad." She held him out at arm's length, his still-useless wings, along with his feet, dangling in the air. Ripjaw's amber eyes stared at me intently. Robin stood, seemingly taking her side by standing behind the future child and placing her hands on her shoulders. Her eyes held nothing but pure mirth.

"Yeah, I guess he did." I smirked. "Give him here, then." Morgan put him within reach, which was her biggest mistake. I reached up as if I were taking the wyvern, then changed angle and grabbed Morgan by the arms, pulling her close before she could have a chance to retaliate. Laughing, tumbling, and stress relief ensued as I held her tight in my grasp, Lissa and Robin trying to hold in their own merriment off to the side. The little wyvern raced around us, unsure of what was happening but probably sure that nobody was getting hurt. I stealthily wormed us over to my wife, who seemed to notice something was up. Before she could act on that, I got her by the wrist and pulled her into the ball of family, our laughs seeming to cheer up anyone within hearing range.

Not too long later, the three of us sat together, panting with large smiles. Robin laid her head on my shoulder while Morgan snuggled up to the woman, the wyvern in her lap.

"Best. Dad. Ever."

"You're not the _best_ Dad ever." I feigned hurt as Morgan gave a little grin. "But you are the greatest." Rip gave a snort at that moment, either as agreement or a scoff. I opted to think of it as a scoff.

"Well, no matter the case," I looked to Robin, "thank you for that. We needed that after that battle. Lissa took up the idea, too, if her over there with Stahl and Owain is any indication." I tried to look, but was stopped by a soft, calloused hand lightly placing itself on my cheek. "Now, I believe I was promised something."

"Ah, yes. Morgan, ignore us and play with Rip for a couple minutes." She made a face, but did as asked, mumbling under her breath. "I know I promised words, but actions speak louder. So." I edged closer, my head slowly going towards the purple haired woman's. She emulated the action, and soon our lips were locked. I heard a small groan from Morgan, though ignored it in favour of the blissful moment I was sharing with my wife. True to my word, we parted around a minute later for air. "That work?"

"Mm-hm."

"You guys are cute and all, but could you _please_ not do that in front of me?" I saw the devious grin form on Robin's face.

"Do what? This?" She grabbed me by the back of the head—making my hat go slightly askew—and pulled me in for a deeper kiss. I didn't resist, closing my eyes.

"Mooom!" I felt Robin's smile widen, and couldn't help but do the same. "Guys, stop!" We went at it just that little bit more passionately. "Rip, let's get out of here!" I cracked open an eye to see Morgan get up and shoot off with the wyvern held tightly to her stomach. I felt a little chuckle come from Robin, though the action didn't stop. However, I needed air, so I gave her a light tap on the shoulder as a signal. She got it, finally releasing me from the sweet, sweet hold.

"Now _that_ ," I panted, "was devious. No wonder I fell in love with you."

"I'm just falling into my role as 'Mother.' I can't be a tactician all the time."

"Couldn't agree more." I looked around, noting the other Shepherds softly milling about. "So… wanna go take a nap?"

"Yes, please." I stood up, pulling Robin with me.

"A magical field for god-like powers has to have a nice nap spot somewhere, right? C'mon; I think I saw a nice, shady tree through the blockade of Risen."

"That sounds… perfect?" I chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist. "It's hard to be at least a little romantic when Risen are mentioned."

"Yeah, but, we make do." She hummed, leaning into me. With that, we ventured off through the field to find our peaceful spot.

 **A/N: WHOO, I FINALLY DID ANOTHER ONE! I'm just—I'm so sorry, guys. I am literally the worst at writing this at the moment; my words are failing me when it comes to this story. A four-month-long wait is terrible, and I'm sorry you guys have to endure that. I'm just bad. I keep distracting myself with stories I'll probably never publish, my college courses, and more housework that has been piling up recently. I know they aren't great excuses, but they're the reality… along with my own damned procrastination habits. *sigh***

 **With that, though, I hope you guys liked it. There are some moments in this chapter that I felt really bad writing, as writing them made me feel like I was stroking my own ego which, no matter what you may think because of this story, isn't actually all that high. The me in here is almost an idealized version of myself, if you hadn't noticed. The fight scenes were pretty entertaining to do, though they did take a while to hammer out. Falling into that kind of groove can be a little difficult.**

 **Finally, a little thing I'd like to share here. I know FFN doesn't really like links, but if I get yelled at then I'll deal with the consequences. I've made a Discord server! It's mostly so I can help aspiring writers start their stories and meet all you guys! I want to know the kinds of people who like what I write, and making new friends is always an excellent thing. I'm not hoping for a community, but getting you guys to meet each other would be a dream come true. Friends all around! Link will be at the end of the note; you'll have to copy it and remove spaces for it to work, and I might have to get rid of it at some point because of admins complaining, but I'll do what I can.**

 **And with all that, this note comes to a close! If you enjoyed (or even if you didn't), feel free to leave any questions, comments, concerns, or criticisms in a review or PM. Until the next chapter!**

 **8cQwg F7**


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